


Blackwatch: Bastet

by Arikakun



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blackwatch, Blackwatch Era, Blackwatch shenanigans, Drunk Sex, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, FWB, Fictional Hacker, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Grey Hat Hacker, Lots of Original Characters - Freeform, Lovers To Enemies, Mention of pregnacy, Sex, Smut, Some angst, Will add more as I go, fwb to lovers, ok there is a plot, sassiness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2018-08-14 20:45:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 111,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8028349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arikakun/pseuds/Arikakun
Summary: Her name is Kallista Kaines, also known as Bastet, one of the most wanted hackers in the world. Against the world's governments, and Overwatch she and a long-standing Hacktivist group, Anonymous, continuously poke holes into the government and the greedy hands of the overly rich and famous. Her downfall? Her curiosity. Her curiosity led her to dig into the files of Overwatch and breached the Blackwatch servers on a hunt to her missing parents. Of course, she found more than what she bargained for. With this new information, she has two choices be tried in an International court or work with the same organization she worked against.





	1. Catching the Hacker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2060: The Digital Goddess Bastet of the infamous God Brigade captured and now at the mercy of both Overwatch and Blackwatch.

2060

* * *

Jesse watched silently as his Commander pushed the handcuffed woman towards one of the interrogation rooms. He shifted slightly when the woman made eye contact with him, her cold icy blue eyes quickly sized him up before she turned her attention ahead.

Jesse scoffed as he walked towards the room, he wanted to see this interrogation instead of hearing about it later, they had managed to finally catch her, why was she so important? He didn't know, but he was going to find out. That woman came under Overwatch's radar, specifically Blackwatch's radar a year ago and almost two years later she was finally captured, surprisingly after putting up a huge fight. He chased her down the back streets of Dorado, she was was fast and he was barely able to keep up with her.

She easily took him out with one roundhouse kick to the face and gave Gabriel Reyes a run for his money. He had heard she led Reyes on a chase for blocks as she took out other Blackwatch agents, he heard the Reyes cornered the woman in the back streets of the Dorado.

She had more fight in her than they had expected which fueled his curiosity about her. She was the definition of looks being deceiving, a little thing like her having to forcibly be put down, knocked unconscious even. Jesse stood behind the viewing glass of the interrogation room, arms crossed as he focused on the woman slouching in the chair. 

Obsidian like mid-back length hair, sharp blue eyes, olive brown skin, she looked as if she was of Mexican descent, but couldn't quite place her. Her appearance threw him off a bit, she wore a khaki green bomber jacket, a thin cropped top, black jeans that were frayed at the knee and black boots. She didn't look like a wanted hacker nor did she look like she had the strength to stagger a man twice her size, he decided that she got a lucky hit.

Jesse glanced to the side as he saw the Strike Commander of Overwatch, Jack Morrison, enter the room and move immediately over to the woman. There weren't many times where he saw the man so this was a rare sight, but the amount of damage she caused to Overwatch and the politicians connected to Overwatch, his presence was needed. 

His eyes flicked from the blond haired man and to the woman still slouching in the chair, he could tell that she wasn't impressed nor intimidated by either of the larger men, she remained slouching and crossed her legs as they started talking to her. she looked unamused at Morrison but strangely held eye contact with Reyes, who held eye contact with her.

Jesse gnawed on the toothpick that hung loosely between his teeth, the thought of one of his cigarillos crossed his mind as he waited for the two men to begin to grill her with questions. There was no way he was going to let Reyes pass up on the details of her, he was just too damn curious. 

* * *

Hours passed, much too long for Jesse to stay awake, he was slouched in his chair and dozed off as he waited for the verdict of what was going to happen to the woman. He made himself comfortable at best and used his signature cowboy hat covering to cover his face as he slept. The last time he had his slept without his hat on he woke up with marker over his face, thanks to--

" _Wake up Jesse_ ," Gabriel's grumble startled Jesse from his impromptu nap.

"I-I'm up!" Jesse jumped up.

"We'll continue this tomorrow Gabe, she's more stubborn than I thought she would be..." Jack trailed off as he nodded to Jesse. Jesse tipped his signature cowboy hat to the man before he yawned.

"Yeah," Gabriel replied as he watched the man leave, his signature blue trench coat flowing behind him as he left. Gabriel sighed tiredly and yawned, Jesse knew that that man hadn't been sleeping soundly since the mission began a week ago. They captured her but now what?

"Did you get looked at?" Gabriel asked as he studied Jesse's face.

"I did. It's a bruise, it'll heal," Jesse replied as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He needed sleep too.

"Don't give me bullshit to get out of training when your face starts hurting," Gabriel said as he exited the interrogation viewing room.

"Ya won't hear a word from me Reyes, but more importantly...what 'bout the girl?" Jesse started as he got up to follow the man from the room.

Before closing and locking the door the final door to the interrogation room, Gabriel turned his attention back to the woman on the other side of the glass. She sat with her back towards the window, her hood covered her head as she legs propped on the table trying to get comfortable. Jesse quickly followed after the man closing the door behind him. Once they were a bit down the hall Gabriel sighed heavily fueling Jesse's curiosity and anxiousness to know about the woman.

"So...about--" Jesse began sheepishly.

"Her real name is Kallista Kaines. Her main alias is  _Bastet,_ the one we've been looking for," Gabriel started.

"The real deal huh? Not what we thought ya know?" Jesse commented As of late Blackwatch and Overwatch as a whole had been dealing with various hackers attempting to disturb the peace where peace was fragile, not to mention they had their own occasionally troublesome hacker of their own.

"I can tell you I didn't expect her to have a British accent. She tries to hide it and she's quite good at it...but you should never assume Jesse," Gabriel said as the two walked down the hall.

"So I see...An'way, So what's so important about her? It jus sounds like another wannabe elite hacker ya'know?" Jesse questioned.

"She is the real deal otherwise we wouldn't have gone through so much shit to track her down. She was behind the breaches in the database, the UN members scandals, the CIA's system failing, and several other breaches around the world," Gabriel replied.

"That little ol' girl in there? C'mon," Jesse asked.

"Don't let her image fool you. She's damned smart. MIT graduate and started her Master's at Harvard...both Ivy League schools," Gabriel sighed.

"Damn, such a shame fer her to use her talents as such," Jesse whistled.

"She knew what she was doing, she just got caught," He grumbled.

"Soo...what are you going to do?" Jesse asked.

"Dunno yet, you'll find out...after we're done...maybe," Gabriel said causing Jesse to stop in his tracks.

"Soooo...It sounds like you intend on keepin' her Reyes," Jesse said as he looked at the man walk right past him. Clearly, the man was up to something, then again when wasn't he?

"Wait and see," Gabriel said as he waved the man off as he continued down the hall.

* * *

Three days passed when finally when she began to speak, Gabriel and Morrison used different tactics on her to get information from the woman. Whatever they were doing wore her down enough to speak. On the fourth day, the two men entered the room as normal waking her from her light sleep.

"Wake up," Gabriel grumbled as he roughly nudged the woman.

"Mmmn..."Kallista lifted her head from the table and groggily looked at the two men

"Good Morning Miss Kaines," Jack said as he looked at the woman.

"Good Morning gentlemen…or at least I think it's morning" Kallista yawned as she combed back her hair.

"We're going to try this again…" Gabriel began.

"Alright...from the top," Kallista yawned once again.

"Miss Kaines...what was your motive. What did you hope to accomplish in hacking the Overwatch database?" Jack started.

"You were just asking to be caught," Gabriel added.

"It took you guys long enough to actually catch me though...two years almost," Kallista trailed off as she leaned back in her chair.

"You weren't important until a few months ago," Jack started.

"Why thank you for all of your attention," Kallista replied cheekily.

"That's not meant to be a compliment girl," Gabriel added.

"You sure? It sounds like one...but getting to the point...I needed something very specific and the Overwatch database...well specifically the Blackwatch database had it. Mind you this wasn't the first time I hacked into your system. As for what I wanted to accomplish...well..." Kallista trailed off with a smirk.

"You made yourself a big pain the ass," Reyes scoffed.

"Awww I'm sorry," Kallista replied sarcastically and smiled at the man. Gabriel scoffed at the woman's cheeky demeanor

"Kallista. What was your motive?" Jack interrupted as he tried to defuse the tension building in the room and focus on getting the information that the woman had.

Kallista turned her wrists in her handcuffs, Gabriel noticed that she had done that every time they spoke, every so often Gabriel studied the woman, her features, mannerisms, her little ticks.

He knew that she knew more than what she was letting on, and made it seem like it was a game as she never fully answered their questions. She calculated every word and every move she made, was she leading them on or was she actually going to tell them? He thought back to when they had brought her into the building, her arms were pinned behind her back when they pushed her into the interrogation room, he turned his back for a moment and when he looked at the woman, she had already maneuvered her arms from behind her back.

She was slippery, he remembered the chase that she led him on, laughing as she ran, the tougher time he had actually taking her down without seriously hurting her. Most of the female targets that they did have would give up right away, but she fought back, it was useless but she did it anyway. He could tell that she had some experience fighting, the way she moved, the way she managed to slip from his grasp told him more than she gave off. Her downfall was the hesitation and a swift punch to the gut.

"To be blunt. The world knows that Overwatch is not all sunshine, rainbows, and heroes. The world is slowly learning about all of the crimes against humanity and omnics that your men have committed. It's not my fault that you have left yourselves open...we...I just know how to capitalize on an opportunity. Not to mention the person you had tracking me on the web. What was their name? Gsa' gzig?" Kallista started.

Gabriel shifted his weight to one leg from the other, she knew about the last of Blackwatch's Intel department, of course, she did. Morrison glanced at the man before turning his attention to back to the woman.

"Your agents are really bad at trailing, especially that wannabe cowboy," Kallista smirked.

"What did you get out of the database?" Morrison asked.

"Good question. Let's just say  _many damning things,_ " Kallista replied as she narrowed her eyes at the man.

"Stop shitting around, you're already going to rot in a maximum security prison," Gabriel cut in.

"That is true but that doesn't mean I actually have to talk," Kallista replied as she looked at Gabriel.

"What's the point Miss Kaines?" Morrison asked.

" ** _She who has knowledge has power,_** " Kallista replied.

"So..from what I'm hearing you obviously want to make a deal...because what else are you going to do with that information if you're in prison," Morrison said as he crossed his arms.

"Did I say that? I'm pretty sure I didn't say that..." Kallista said as she focused on the piece of hair she twirled around her finger.

"She doesn't deserve a deal," Gabriel commented annoyed at the woman's antics. She did exactly what he thought she was going to do, lead them by their noses.

"Thank you for your consideration Commander Reyes, but I'm pretty sure Strike Commander Morrison has more authority over you," Kallista said bored. Gabriel's jaw clenched at her statement, a statement that struck deep. Morrison glanced at the man again sensing the man's waning patience.

"I am going to ask again...what did you  **take Miss Kaines** ," Morrison asked his voice more firm.

Gabriel Reyes had his chair turned backward as he straddled the chair and leaned on the back of the chair. He narrowed his eyes at the woman, for the past three days they interrogated her she held firm on what she had found not budging. Whatever she had it was important that she held on to it. Was it about Overwatch? or something else just as important?

"Good question," Kallista replied again.

"This is not a fucking game woman. You stole confidential information about a government-owned facility and not to mention that is a felony and life in prison or even death," Gabriel growled.

"Reyes," Morrison started as he looked sharply at the man.

"I don't think she gets it, Jack. Leave me alone with her and I'll get her to talk," Gabriel said as he stared intensely at the woman.

"This conversation doesn't include a peanut gallery Commander Reyes," Kallista spat back, words full of sarcasm.

"Peanut gallery? Really? Do you even know the situation you're in?" Gabriel asked slightly surprised at the woman's sarcasm.

"Well let's see...I'm probably in Switzerland somewhere underground at Overwatch HQ, you know being interrogated for information that I may have swiped. I'm not sure where else you thought I would be," Kallista replied.

"Really?" Gabriel laughed slightly at the woman's gall to be sarcastic in a situation like this.

"Enough," Morrison sighed.

"Let's see how far that sarcasm will get you in prison, girl. Morrison, throw her in prison, let's see how long she lasts with the mention of capital punishment is said," Gabriel laughed.

Kallista glanced at Gabriel as she crossed a leg over the other and leaned back in her chair. She was quiet for once.

"Oh? What's wrong now girl? Cat got your tongue? You know that you're not some run of the mill criminal, once you go into prison you're staying there," Gabriel smirked as he watched the woman's demeanor change from confident to cautious.

"Kallista," Morrison started again, turning his attention to the woman. Kallista held her head high as her glacier eyes met Morrison's baby blue ones.

"Truthfully I don't think you should go to prison, but the more you dick around and lead us to nowhere makes me think otherwise. Enough games, tell us the information you have and maybe we can lower your sentencing," Morrison started.

"Morrison, just throw her in there," Gabriel said from his chair. Kallista's sharp blue eyes flicked towards Gabriel behind Morrison. Morrison snapped his fingers pulling Kallista's attention away from Gabriel and on to him.

"Focus on me. Not on him," Morrison said as he knelt next to Kallista. Kallista, in turn, sat up in her chair and clasped her hands together as she looked at the man.

"What information did you see and what did you take Kallista," Morrison said as he looked up at the woman.

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the woman as she pursed her lips together as she looked at Morrison, he knew they had backed her into a corner with no escape from this. It was either spill the information or go straight to prison. The ball was in her court, it was her move.

The ball was in her court, it was her move.

Kallista sighed heavily as she ran her hands through her dark hair before leaning on to the interrogation table. Morrison stood silently as he continued to wait for Kallista's response, whatever she had found was so important that she was risk everything on it.

"From what I saw...and was able to determine...before the God Brigade got to it...there's someone in the United Nations has been gathering dirt on Overwatch to shut it down. Hard," Kallista replied.


	2. Kallista Kaines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An offer she can't refuse, Kallista gives up more information on what she found.

The two men looked at each other silently and back to the woman. She was calm, focused and was clearly serious about what she had just told them. Gabriel's head dropped as he shook and shook disappointment, Morrison on the other hand, shook his head and chuckled.

"Get a grip," Gabriel sighed.

"We're funded by the United Nations," Gabriel added.

"True. But what's a parent to do when their child has gotten out of hand? Spank them and hope they learned their lesson or let them self-destruct?" Kallista questioned.

"Please elaborate Kallista," Jack said cutting in before Gabriel had something to say. Kallista rolled her eyes at both of the men, she knew that they didn't believe her and she was making up some elaborate excuse. She wasn't.

"Deal first," Kallista stated firmly.

"Now she wants to play. Do you really believe that we're going to believe you after some ridiculous shit like that? C'mon now you're an MIT graduate," Gabriel half laughed. She smirked.

"I think you've forgotten Commander Reyes. As an MIT graduate, a current student at Harvard, a hacker who has infiltrated Overwatch's systems, Blackwatch's systems, other nation's systems, I can either compromise or create a safeguard for everything I touch. If I wanted I can find every piece of information on every single person in the bloody place. Yes. Please laugh and you'll see how serious I can be," Kallista replied, her accent laced in every word she spoke.

The two men looked at each other a little taken aback at the woman's confidence in what she had seen. Morrison nodded as he looked at the man next to him, in turn, Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Talk," Gabriel replied firmly.

Kallista looked to Morrison to confirm that there was a deal before she continued to speak, Morrison nodded in response. She lifted her cuffed wrists and moved a piece of her dark hair from her face before she began.

"The God Brigade and I gained access to a few members of the United Nations emails, phones, etc. We've mined and monitored all of their files and the files that had been released through conventional channels at the UN. If you know what you are looking for and look hard enough, you can see that someone has also been snooping on the servers," Kallista began and sighed.

"They were really messy about it, but that's beside the fact. I've seen things like the Omnic crisis...all the way back to the time of the SEP days of the military. Did you know that there are tons of conspiracy theories out there about that and how it's been modified for other countries and what not? It's quite interesting," Kallista began, her eyes lighting up at the mention of conspiracy theories.

"Get to the point," Gabriel replied cutting her off.

"Fine. There's been someone snooping on the servers and I'm not sure if someone planted something or it was there already. But it has something to do with the Omnic leaks about Japan and India, the little crack that has been blatantly left on the servers here. It was all done on purpose. The complexity of the hole isn't someone from the outside. No. It's someone from the inside. Not from the United Nation per say more like someone from Overwatch," Kallista said as she uncrossed her legs to

There was a pause between the three, a moment to process all the information that she gave them and their next steps. The fact that there was a mole within the Overwatch or Blackwatch ranks left their minds reeling with suspicion, doubt and who to trust. It was plausible that there could, in fact, be a mole in Overwatch, leaks of information that happened in India and in Japan doesn't just happen like that, someone had to purposely leak it.

"So...you mean to tell us...that there's mole... in Overwatch," Morrison said, carefully choosing his words as he spoke to her.

"Maybe? Probably, I mean I'm not your IT specialist or anything like that," Kallista trailed off as she leaned on the table again, her head hung low as she looked at the two men.

"Can I have some coffee?"

"No," Gabriel replied.

"After. I need you to focus Kallista," Morrison pressed. Kallista exhaled loudly as she brushed her hair over her shoulder before she began to speak.

"There's always a trail...even though they were sloppy all I was able to get was the fact that they were from the inside," Kallista replied and huffed.

"About these handcuffs though…"

"They stay on," Gabriel replied.

"Hey what about that deal?!" Kallista began.

"It's still on the table..." Morrison trailed off in thought.

"Then…" Kallista said and held up her wrists.

"Not yet. Reyes. A word," Morrison said as he walked towards the door. Kallista glared at the dark haired man as he looked down at her. He grumbled something incoherently and followed Morrison out.

" _Pendejo_!" Kallista shouted at the door.

* * *

"The crimes against her are substantial. Keeping her from the capital punishment might be a little tough and a long battle. She's damn good at what she does and the fact that we are the only ones that know about this possible mole..." Morrison trailed off.

"I get what you're trying to say...but what makes you think that they would want a world-renowned hacker, lawbreaker, someone that will most likely be sentenced with treason on the Overwatch team, Morrison," Gabriel said as he crossed his arms.

"Not Overwatch. Blackwatch," Morrison corrected.

"I knew you were going to say that," Gabriel said as he watched the woman fidget with handcuffs around her wrists.

"Majority of your intel crew was killed during that ambush Gabe you-" Morrison began.

"Don't," Gabriel said firmly.

"Look...based on the needs of Blackwatch she would be a huge asset not only to your intel crew but also to Overwatch as a whole. With the overall integrity of Overwatch at stake using her to take out, the possible mole would do us both a service. You get a world-renowned hacker on your team and this mole is one less thing that we have to worry about," Morrison explained.

"You know it would help at least until I able to move resources for your team, I have three good people that I can give... I just need to make the arrangements," Morrison started.

Gabriel looked smugly at the man in front of him, he was already three steps in front of the man. From the woman's rep sheet he knew that she would be a huge asset to him but inadvertently had the man give him permission to add the woman to his team.

"Another law abiding hacker on my team..." Gabriel said sarcastically and asked more firmly.

"Far from it, but you sure know how to pick them...or I guess they know how to pick you," Morrison commented.

"Shut up Jack," Gabriel sighed.

"Just saying that this one would be more useful than sitting in prison. I leave this to you, Gabe," Morrison said

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah," Gabriel sighed as he grabbed a datapad, bringing up the woman's information that they had on her.

"Don't be too harsh on her," Morrison said as he headed towards the door.

"It was just an act. She'll be fine," Gabriel said as he entered the interrogation room.

Morrison, Jack Morrison was nervous of the woman's wealth of information she had on Overwatch and Blackwatch. He knew that she would have to be watched closely especially with the mention of the  **God Brigade.**  Morrison had heard of the group and how it was an elite division within the ancient hacktivist group called  _Anonymous,_  but to actually see the face behind the mask, the face of a promising MIT graduate, a Harvard Master's degree seeker, left the man with more questions.

He glanced at the two through the viewing glass more before exiting the room.

* * *

"Kallista Kaines. Alias, Bastet Age 26, MIT graduate, currently enrolled in Harvard for a master's degree, wanted in four countries and eight states, charged with theft, providing information to national enemies, compromising national and global security, intellectual property rights violations, government defacement. You've been busy," Gabriel commented as he leaned back in his chair.

"I'm surprised they have that much, is that my real age? Are my measurements in there too? I'm not sure about those measurements or that age though," Kallista commented.

"It's what Blackwatch have on you," Gabriel corrected.

"Oh? Interesting. That's cool so then there's an 85 percent chance of it being correct," Kallista commented dryly. Gabriel scoffed as he watched her look through the file, he had no reason to doubt the information that they had on her.

"Why would such a young woman like yourself get into this line of work," Gabriel asked as he studied the petite woman across from him.

"The Legion called Anonymous. The division called the God Brigade, boredom, opportunity to change the world and possibly improve my skills," Kallista replied as she continued to read.

"Were you a part of the group or recruited?" Gabriel asked, slightly surprised that a young woman like herself would join an ancient group of the sort.

"Recruited," Kallista replied.

"By who?" Gabriel asked.

"I don't kiss and tell Reyes," Kallista said as she turned her attention from the file and towards the man, a smirk played on her lips.

"Noted, but you didn't answer my question," Gabriel replied and gave her credit for throwing in a Coquette comment.

"It's been a while...even if I knew who it was. I won't rat them out," Kallista replied.

"You hold loyalty to a faceless group that may have sold you out," Gabriel accused to see if he could rile anything else from the tight-lipped woman.

"That's a strong accusation, Reyes, very strong," Kallista replied, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"What was all of this for?" Gabriel asked, taking into account that she wasn't going to answer or give up any information about the God Brigade or Anonymous.

"Depends. They were all for different reasons. You know modern Robin Hood, A modern Golda Meir, etc, etc," Kallista replied as she pushed the datapad towards him. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs as she looked at the man.

"The money. What did you do with it?" Gabriel asked.

"Kept a tiny amount for myself, I have to pay for my education you know, the rest I donated to poverty-stricken neighborhoods...you know charitable means," Kallista replied.

"Name,"

"Camilla Luciano. You'll find donations under that name...over time," Kallista replied.

"The confidential data?" Reyes continued.

"That one is a little difficult," Kallista started.

"Explain,"

"The data wasn't exactly for me, they were contract deals for the shadier side of the God Brigade." Kallista continued.

"Who did you give it to?" Reyes asked.

"I don't know. We had contact information, but there was no direct person that handle this. I did what I did because I was young and wanted to test my skills more than anything. They didn't tell, we didn't ask," Kallista replied.

"That information that you took was sold on the black market and eventually ended up in the hands of the Secret Intelligence Services MI6," Gabriel replied.

"Oh goodie, allies," Kallista replied.

"Your intellectual rights violations…," Gabriel trailed off.

"They couldn't pin me on it. During my semester abroad they tried to accuse me of stealing confidential information...They just need someone to blame in China," Kallista scoffed.

Gabriel chuckled at the woman's response as he shifted in his chair and fidgeted with a pen in front of him. He knew that there was a deeper meaning behind what she did but she refused to give him any leeway on finding a way in. He did have to admit to himself that he was partially curious, with a mind like hers, he knew she wouldn't just join just for shits and giggles but decided against it.

He had no reason to doubt her skills, even just with the small talk of her 'accomplishments' around the world, her education, the skills that it took to complete a feat as such and not be caught was more than enough to be in Blackwatch.

Gabriel silently studied Kallista as she silently looked at him, her gaze not wavering as she gently drummed her perfectly manicured black nails on the table. Her sun-kissed caramel skin, the long ebony cascading over her shoulder, her full lips, almond-shaped eyes, the sharp icy blue eyes that stared back at him.

"We could be here all day talking about all of the charges against you...so, tell me why I should take off those handcuffs," Gabriel said as he looked at the woman's wrists.

"I gave you information like you asked...unless this is your kind of thing," Kallista replied. Gabriel chuckled a bit before he replied was silent before he replied to the woman. She flirted with him regardless of her situation.

"...depends on how dangerous you want to be...but keep in mind you are under my watch," Gabriel countered.

"Oh...under the big bad wolf's care…" Kallista said as she drawled.

"Cute," Gabriel replied sarcastically.

"This deal works under a few conditions, you follow my orders, you don't have access to any technology without my say so or supervision from myself or someone else. You work for me now. If you fail at any of these you'll find yourself sitting in an isolated room in a maximum security prison" Gabriel said

"Scary, Scary...follow your orders and I'll stay out of prison," Kallista confirmed.

"Correct," Reyes replied as he placed the pen down on the table.

" _lo que tu digas, Lobo_ ," Kallista drawled and smirked.

"Consider yourself on probation. All the information about you will become confidential, you will disappear off the grid for a while. All of your computers will be confiscated-" Reyes started.

"Not Necessary," Kallista cut in.

"And why not?" Gabriel asked.

"A failsafe activated from my cell phone. You won't find anything except for an empty shell...If you want it you can have it," Kallista replied as she flipped her hair.

"You have solutions for everything...don't you?" Gabriel quipped.

"I might?" Kallista replied.

"That's fine, one less thing I need to worry about," Gabriel said as he stood up and approached her. Kallista's eyes followed him and looked up at him as he stood next to her. He looked down at her before taking her wrists and unshackled them.

"Thanks," Kallista said as she rubbed the red markings on her wrists. He instantly focused on the red marks on her wrists.

"Why didn't you say they were tight," Gabriel commented. He had already felt a little guilty about punching her in the stomach when they captured her, the red marks on her wrists reminded him of that guilt.

"I'm tougher than I look," Kallista replied as she began stretching her wrists.

"Do you need to be looked over...are your ribs ok?" Gabriel asked as he saw some markings of purple on her

"I'm fine. Just iced coffee would be nice," Kallista replied.

"Fine, let's go," Gabriel said as he motioned towards the door.

"Of course," Kallista said as she stood, stretching before she went towards the door.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough translation: lo que tu digas, Lobo - Whatever you say, Wolf*
> 
> *A group of friends and I have come up with a code name for Reyes and the members of Blackwatch. Lobo is wolf in Spanish, and the members of Blackwatch are his "Pack of Wolves"


	3. Remnants of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thinking back on the people that she met and looking forward to what lies in wait for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank my friends for letting me include their OCs into my story. Malik Ramos, Lyudmila Dontsova, Natalie Nguyen, Hayden Birro, Omar Vazquez! You know who you are and I love and appreciate all of you!

Late 2060

* * *

 

Six months had passed and nothing. Of course, Kallista wasn't expecting much. She knew that everything would move slow, she was a wanted hacker and was under suspicion.

What else could she do?

Kallista sighed heavily as she laid back into the black sofa looking at the dark gray ceiling of the commons room. Her mind went back to the people that she had been introduced to months ago but supposedly hadn't met everyone yet. Based on the size of the Overwatch she figured that she wasn't going to anytime soon.

A few of the members stuck out to her, one of them being the second in command, _Lyudmila Dontsova_. From what Kallista quickly picked up that the woman was very stern, serious about her job and left no room for jokes. She also noticed the woman didn't talk much and only spoke when she needed to and when she did speak she had an accent, a Russian accent, a slight gap between her front teeth. Kallista assumed that she worked in the military at some point to explain why she was such a hard ass.

What caught Kallista off guard was the slight glimpse of metal as she shook her hand, a metal hand and arm possibly? Kallista noticed as the woman walked her stride was a bit off slightly for her height. That left the question of if the woman had a metal leg as well?

Regardless the look that the woman gave her told her to keep her distance, Be seen. Not heard.

Her mind then traveled to the young woman by the name of _Natalie Nguyen_ , the woman had a mischievous glint to her abnormal golden eyes as she watched Kallista be introduced and move around the Blackwatch division. She didn't speak, she just watched her silently. There was something about the woman that she couldn't put her finger on about the woman but she knew that she would be seeing more of the young woman.

Lastly, her mind went back to the time she had met a young man by the name of _Malik Ramos_. At the time he was filling in for the former Intel department that had been KIA. She remembered their meeting;

\--

_"Ramos," Gabriel started as he entered the room and to the man that winced as he stood. Kallista quietly sized up the man, noticing the wheelchair, his scars, and bandages._

_"Sit down. You're supposed to be in Med-Bay," Gabriel sighed._

_"I was cleared. Didn't you get the paperwork?" Malik replied confidently and continued to stand._

_"Yeah. Sure. Ok, forged documents don't mean that you are cleared Ramos," Gabriel replied bluntly._

_"No No No...I wouldn't forge anything Gabi. That hurts," Malik sneered as he turned his attention to the woman next to the man. His obsidian, golden speckled eyes quickly roamed over Kallista as she stood there unamused next to Gabriel._

_"So you're the infamous Bastet...you're different than I imagined," Malik commented as he continued to look her from head to toe._

_"Oh...I'm sorry to disappoint," Kallista replied sarcastically. Malik chuckled at her remark._

_"Much different," Gabriel commented, Kallista shrugged at the man's comment with a smirk._

_"Expect the unexpected amigo," Kallista replied as she flipped her hair._

_"Hair flip and everything. I just love the sass," Malik commented._

_"Don't remind me. From today in she'll be joining you in the intel department until Morrison makes a move," Gabriel began, Malik nodded silently as he listened to Gabriel occasionally glancing down at Kallista._

_Silently, Kallista sized up the man, curly dark coarse hair pulled into a bun, golden speckled black eyes, dark mocha like skin, scars. Kallista could see the start of a scar peeking from underneath his shirt starting at the base of her neck._

_"Trauma...," Kallista thought to herself as she half listened to their conversation._

_"She's not to use a terminal until I say so," Gabriel continued_

_"A cat without her claws. Poor kitty," Malik replied cheekily._

_"Oh, thanks. I'll be sure to keep my small ones groomed," Kallista replied, once again Malik chuckled quietly at her response._

_"Ok, so she's on house arrest Gabi...that sucks. How is she supposed to do anything?" Malik replied._

_"Under careful scrutiny" Gabriel added before pulling out his cell phone._

_"Her every move? I mean she probably won't like it if you give me that much access you know," Malik commented as his black eyes flickered back to Kallista._

_"Don't get any ideas kid," Kallista replied bored._

_"Kid?" Malik laughed_

_"no prometo nada," Malik laughed before he noticed Gabriel motion towards Kallista. Malik nodded as he and Kallista watched the man promptly exit the office on his cell phone._

_"My My My what a busy man that he couldn't even finish my tour," Kallista commented._  
_"He does that sometimes. But you are right, he is a busy man. He doesn't have time for mediocre introductions," Malik said as he began to study her again._

_Kallista scrunched her nose as she looked towards the door crossing her arms, she turned her attention back to the man in front of her._

_"You are really cute," Malik commented._

_"Thanks," Kallista replied._

_Malik smirked as he sat down wincing slightly, rubbing his knees. Kallista quickly glanced at the man again noticing more details about him. His soft jawline, his soft looking facial hair, his stature was thick, strong, slightly burly, but there was something about him that caught her attention._

_"You...you were a woman once weren't you?" Kallista asked quietly._

_"Yep. But does that matter?" Malik asked. Kallista noticed that he had tensed a bit at the mention of his birth gender._

_"Nope. Just noticing your soft jaw and your facial hair and other things," Kallista replied nonchalantly._

_"You have a good eye Bastet," Malik chuckled. She could tell that the man was still tense at her words, but shrugged it off. How he was, was none of her concern._

_"I know," Kallista replied as she looked around the room. Some filing cabinets, three terminals, four main servers against the wall in the back of the room._

_"Yep, this is the Blackwatch Intel Department. Small and efficient," Malik commented_

_"Just you right?" Kallista asked_

_"Yep...just me for now at least...there was some accident or something that happened recently...not really sure...not really my business," Malik replied and leaned back_ into _his chair, smirking._

_"Kudos to you baiting me," Kallista commented_

_"Thanks...your firewalls, coding, and cryptography were definitely unique. I admit I did fall into a few of your traps," Malik commented._

_"I've had...time, and experience," Kallista replied._

_"Oh. I know Miss MIT," Malik replied._

_"So many nicknames...which one are you gonna stick with?" Kallista asked cooly._

_"Whichever one fits...or unless Gabi gives you one," Malik replied._

_"I'm sure he won't be giving me any nicknames anytime soon...but you call him Gabi?" Kallista asked._

_"He's kinda like my dad, but not my dad...but is my dad" Malik trailed off._

_"Got daddy problems?" Kallista asked._

_"I might," Malik replied._

_"Mmhmm..wanna see something cool?" Malik glanced over his shoulder at the woman_

_"Depends on what it is...and if I will be hanged for looking at it," Kallista asked cautiously._

_"I mean if you want Reyes to hang you, go ahead. I heard he has some interesting ways of torturing people but go right ahead and say something...but chances are if you keep your mouth shut you'll be fine," Malik replied nonchalantly. Kallista's icy blue eyes scanned Malik's spotted ones before smirking._

_"What do you have?"_

\--

"Hey, Kallista. Gabi wants to see you," Malik interrupted her thoughts as he wheeled into the commons room. Her eyes immediately went to the wheelchair and then to the man sat in as he looked up at her.

"You're in a wheelchair now? What happened?" Kallista commented.

"It happens every so often...I don't know why you're so surprised," Malik shrugged

"You act as if I knew this would happen to you...forget that I asked...you think he's gonna let me use a terminal finally?" Kallista asked as she stood from the sofa

"Eh. Probably not...but it's worth a try," Malik replied.

"You have no chill," Kallista commented dryly.

"Yeah, I know. You might get used to it, emphasis on the 'might'," Malik replied smirked.

As she walked down the hall towards the man's office her mind continued to wander to the other people she had met. A young man by the name of _Hayden Birro_ and had a brief encounter with another by the name of _Omar Vazquez_ and a few others. Pushing the thoughts behind her she knocked on the man's door before she entered.

"Come in, sit down," Reyes ordered briskly.

"O-oh ok," Kallista said as she moved towards the lone chair in front of his desk. Reyes nodded to Malik as he closed the door, he moved towards his desk chair putting his glasses back on.

"What can I do for you, Reyes?" Kallista asked sarcastically as she crossed her legs. 

"I bet you're bored as hell…" Reyes started as he ignored the woman's sarcasm.

"Oh, you don't say?" Kallista chuckled.

"I think your charming sarcasm is a bit overdone," Reyes retorted.

"Yes, sir," Kallista shrugged in her seat.

"Currently you're a civilian...how do you feel about having military training?" Gabriel asked.

"That sounds intense," Kallista started.

"It does but it's not…" Reyes trailed off

"It's a simple military training program very similar to what soldier would go through," Gabriel continued as he looked over papers and quickly glanced at a datapad next to him.

"I'm not a soldier. I'm just a soft and fleshy young woman," Kallista said sarcastically.

Gabriel looked up from the data pads in front of him and took off his glasses as he looked at the woman leaning back into the chair. Kallista's icy blue eyes met his mahogany colored eyes for a moment before a small chuckle came from the man.

"A soft, fleshy woman hm? You may be for now, but after a few weeks, I'm sure you'll tighten up,"Gabriel replied. Kallista pursed her lips together, silently.

"You look so innocent but you have your mind in the gutter. A shame," Gabriel commented as he went back to the data pads. Kallista remained silent as she watched the man continue to shuffle through the data pads, flicking through data and occasionally glancing up at her.

"You underestimate me, Reyes," Kallista replied.

"Do I? Please, go ahead and prove me wrong. Either way, you've been enrolled in it. You start tomorrow. Lyudmila will deliver clothing your room at 2100 hours. This should keep you busy for a few months until I know what to do with you," Gabriel added as he pushed a datapad to her

"Oh thanks," Kallista replied sarcastically as she took the pad.

"You may be a hacker, but you also have some fighting skill in you. Everyone in Blackwatch is expected to be on the field at some point. I'd rather not have you be a casualty," Gabriel continued.

"Noted," Kallista quipped as she looked over the papers at the man.

"You're dismissed,"

Kallista huffed as she stood, adjusting her black Overwatch issued shirt as she exited the office.

* * *

"So modified basics program...to keep you busy he said…" Malik chuckled as he and Kallista moved down the hall.

"Sounds like he wants me to die," Kallista replied as she absentmindedly looked at the papers in her hands.

"Nah. He thinks you're a cute cheeky little thing. He said you also have a nice ass on you too...and I happen to agree," Malik replied nonchalantly as he wheeled his chair down the hall

" _Dios mio Malik. Deja de bromear_ ," Kallista said nervously and shoved Malik.

" _no es broma!_ You're terrible! Pushing a disabled. How dare you I'm in a wheelchair," Malik laughed

" _Te odio_ …" Kallista frowned causing the man to howl in laughter.

* * *

There was a soft knock on Kallista's door, rolling onto her stomach she looked at the blue numbers on the clock.

"2100 exactly," Kallista said as she went to open the door.

"Kaines," Lyudmila greeted the woman.

"Dontsova," Kallista replied back in the same manner.

"May I?" Lyudmila asked.

"Sure," Kallista said as she stepped aside letting the woman enter. Lyudmila quietly entered the room and moved towards the empty desk, she placed a small bag onto the desk.

"My clothes right?" Kallista asked.

"Yes," the woman replied as she turned to face her.

Every night for the past four months Malik escorted Kallista to her room, did a quick half-hearted sweep and left. It was the first time that Lyudmila had come to check up on her.

"Natalie convinced Reyes to get you different clothes...she's taken a liking to you," Lyudmila said as she looked at the woman across from her.

"That's good I suppose?" Kallista asked unsure.

"It is. It'll give Reyes and myself more incentive to let you do more instead of being bored out of your mind and half-heartedly reading military manuals," Lyudmila chuckled.

"Touche," Kallista replied.

"To be straightforward...I didn't think that Blackwatch would capture you...Bastet," Lyudmila trailed off.

"Excuse me?" Kallista asked confused.

"I am...an ex-member of SPETSNAZ...I think that says enough no?" Lyudmila chuckled.

"Ah. SPETSNAZ...I'm glad I didn't run into anyone from Russia," Kallista replied nervously.

"You were fine for the most part...We knew of Bastet but wasn't assigned to 'deal' with you. But I've heard stories about your skills," Lyudmila said as she moved towards the door.

"Oh…"

"Anyway, stay out of trouble and you're good in my book," Lyudmila said as she opened the door and looked back at Kallista.

"Right. Tell Natalie, thank you," Kallista said.

"Of course. Have a good night and good luck on your basics program," Lyudmila said softly and exited the room closing the door behind her.

"Thanks...goodnight..."

* * *

Three months into the basics program there was an emergency within the training center at the Overwatch Division that caused Gabriel to drop everything he had and rush over to the training center. There weren't many emergencies like these but when there were serious enough to have the Overwatch officials, and Gabriel himself running towards the cause. When Gabriel arrived at outside of the training center, he saw one of his agents and medical staff surrounding a bloodied Kallista.

"What the fuck happened here Spiros?" Reyes barked.

"I dunno... _omega theé mou_ ," Mikael muttered in his native language as he looked at Kallista's blood on his hands.

"Spiros-"

"I was watching her during her training sim and she collapsed to her knees, blood just started pouring from her nose, mouth," Mikael replied as he and Reyes followed the medical staff to the Med Bay.

Within minutes Kallista was examined, in her system was an unauthorized drug that had been administered at the beginning of the program, a drug very similar to the one that he and Morrison had been subjected to during the SEP days.The same drug that gave him chronic migraines, and occasional bouts of insomnia, he thought that the program had been completely trashed because of the success rate and the after effects it left its participants either dead or dysfunctional in some shape or form.

He and Morrison were lucky, they were the normal ones.

That same day the program had been shut down and all the personnel fired. Gabriel was thankful that she recovered quickly, albeit quicker than she should have but there were no symptoms in sight. As she recovered he made sure to keep an eye on her, A few weeks later she was completely cleared to return to basic training methods, Gabriel invited her to join him on his own personal workout regimen instead of the joint workout with everyone else. He wanted to make sure that she didn't show any signs of the drug in her system.

He knew the drug was permanent, She didn't. It didn't help that he misled her about the symptoms and how long they would last, he felt guilty and will feel that way for a long time or at least until he told her the truth about how her whole life was about to change again. All he could do was continue on with the daily schedule and adapt as needed.

That's what he did best.

* * *

 

It was almost as if it were clockwork, Gabriel was up to see the sunrise and usually at the fault of insomnia, as usual, he went to check on the woman to make sure she was at least doing well. Under the guise of training, Gabriel pulled the woman out on a six-mile morning run and on the fourth mile Kallista stopped and hunched over.

"Ok..haah...ooook…," Kallista panted as she hunched over to catch her breath.

"What's the matter, girl?" Gabriel asked his chest slightly heaving as he looked back at the panting woman.

"I..haah..need to...huff...catch my breath. I swear you hate me," Kallista panted.

"Get your ass in gear girl. We still have two miles to go," Gabriel barked causing Kallista to glare at the man.

" _Pendejo_ ," Kallista muttered as she wiped the sweat from her brow and used him as support

"Keep it up with that mouth of yours and I'll make it six," Reyes retorted.

"Aah nooo…" Kallista whined as she used him as support.

"How else are you going to keep that girlish figure of yours that you flaunt if you keep sitting on your ass drinking those damn energy drinks?" Reyes goaded. Kallista gave the man a weak shove, using him to give her slight push to run.

"You're not the only one with a nice ass pendejo!" Kallista shouted as she jogged ahead. Gabriel shook his head chuckling as he jogged after her.

* * *

The day continued uneventfully, mission planning, report reviews, intel debriefing. The usual. Gabriel sighed heavily as an unlit cigarette hung loosely from his lips. He sat on the roof of Overwatch HQ watching the sunset, it was a way of decompressing from all of the administration order he had to deal with when he was not on a mission.

There were days where he felt the heavy weight of Blackwatch and Overwatch on his shoulders, sometimes it was a burden and sometimes he felt older than what he actually was. He kept his head high and dealt with was thrown at him, he had to. He didn't have anything else, it was all that he had and was too stubborn to give up. Reyes glanced at towards the footsteps that were approaching him.

"How is she doing?" Morrison asked as he walked over to the man and sat down. Even after the tension between the two men, they always tolerated each other as they sat together watching the sunset.

"She's doing better than I expected," Gabriel replied.

"That's good to hear. I'm sorry that I haven't been able to check in much but I'm glad she's doing better," Morrison commented.

"Same. I still don't get how they replicated that drug..." Gabriel trailed off

"Likewise. All the medical staff and R&D personnel have been questioned and replaced. We can't have something like the SEP come up again," Morrison replied.

Gabriel nodded in silence lighting the cigarette that hung from his lips.

"Also...is there anything I should know about in terms of what she told us?" Morrison asked.

"I haven't given her access to any type of computer. I wanna make sure I can trust her," Gabriel replied.

"She's been here for almost a year...I can see your concern, but we're going to have to move fast on this Gabe if what she told us is true. We can't let is slip from our hands," Morrison started.

Gabriel grunted in response, there were hints of tension in the silence that fell between the two men. They didn't know whether they should trust the woman or not. They didn't know what that would do to the integrity of Overwatch if no one trusted Overwatch what good were they?

"Anything else?" Morrison asked with a crooked grin on his lips. Gabriel quickly glanced at the man and back to the sun setting over the horizon.

"What's your game, Morrison?" Gabriel glanced at his colleague next to him, he was smirking.

"I dunno...Ana and Jesse told me you were being really protective of Kallista...you know...just curious," Morrison started as he tried to keep himself from chuckling.

"Jesus Christ. Out of all of the people, you listen to you listen to them," Gabriel sighed heavily.

The man suddenly broke into laughter next to the man, his deep laugh reverberating off the cement walls surrounding the rooftop. Gabriel groaned in annoyance as he tapped his cigarette from the ash that had accumulated.

"Oh c'mon we all can see it," Morrison said in between his laughs. Reyes rolled his eyes as he took a hit from his cigarette.

"Come off of it Jack. She's one of my agents' Nothing more or less. You know the rules" Gabriel replied.

"Mmmhm...I'm just saying...giving her looks when she's not looking or just checking her out in her training clothes, that says a lot Gabe," Jack said as he calmed down from his laughing fit.

"What looks are you- you know what nevermind. You're not dragging me into this," Gabriel replied as he turned his attention back to the sunset, he brushed off the attempt to pin him to having a crush on the woman.

He didn't have time for that.

"Well anyway...I'm glad she's acclimated well...Ana seems to be smitten with her," Jack started.

"The others seem perfectly fine with her. Malik loves her, Mikael treats her like a sister and Natalie loves her," Gabriel replied and chuckled.

"I see... How is Natalie by the way?" Jack asked. It took Gabriel a moment before he answered.

"Natalie is doing well...why do you ask?" He asked as he glanced at the man next to him.

"Just curious…," Morrison trailed off

"Right…" Gabriel replied as he focused back on his cigarette. He knew what was going on.

There was silence between the two men as they watched the sunset. Gabriel glanced over at Jack, the man was watching the sunset oblivious to the man looking at him. There was a forlorn smile on the man's lips as he looked ahead, a sign that he was reminiscing about the old days passed. Jack Morrison, by the book, straight and clean cut, he was also one of those guys that brought up the old good days when they were together and reminisce. Himself, Reinhardt, Jack, and Ana. The good days before the Omnic Crisis.

He admitted to himself that he missed those days.

"It's been awhile since we were able to do this...I kinda miss doing this with you," Jack commented.

"Mm...yeah," Gabriel grunted softly.

"All of this peacekeeping and being on the front lines of the media is tiring...but I know in the end it's all worth it," Jack sighed heavily.

He remained silent and blew out cigarette smoke. In the back of his mind, he knew that he was supposed to be in the limelight. He knew that he deserved it. He took another hit of his cigarette trying to keep himself from seething in anger, slowly cigarette smoke escaped from between his lips as he exhaled.

"Don't complain about it. Others would gladly take your place if they had the option," Gabriel commented bitterly.

"I...know," Jack replied quietly.

He knew that Jack knew. Of course, he did, everyone did.


	4. Kitten with small claws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bastet's first mission

**2061**

* * *

 

A year had passed before Kallista was allowed to set foot on the field and it was conditional based. For this mission, they needed someone from the Blackwatch Intel department to link directly with the factory’s mainframe to obtain information about several gangs and high celebrity involvement with smuggling omnium materials.

Names, Locations, connections. This server was tucked away near an old factory that was seemingly defunct but yet had security patrolling the old corridors. The server housed information that Overwatch wanted, information that Blackwatch needed. Malik was out of commission from a previous mission and would standby to retrieve information sent back to base. Kallista was Reyes’ second choice, unfortunately.

Reyes glanced at the woman sitting across from him, she appeared calm as she sat with her arms crossed and one leg over the other. She was damn good at hiding how nervous she was, he could see the slight bounce in her leg, the rhythmless tapping of her foot, how hard she grasped her biceps and how she closed herself off.

“Kalli, you nervous?” Jesse asked.

“Not entirely,” Kallista replied as her blue eyes focused on the man next to her.

“Surprisin’ ” Jesse replied

_ [Jesse almost shit himself when he went on his first mission. Wait I can’t remember if you did or not] _

Malik’s voice echoed over everyone’s comm unit, Reyes and Lyudmila chuckled as Jesse’s face turned red.

“Now is not the time fer yer shit Malik,” Jesse cursed.

_ [I mean...that’s what I heard...just saying…  _ ]

“I’m used to working under pressure...we’ll see how well I do under this type of stress,” Kallista nonchalantly replied. 

"This ain't the type of pressure I'm sure yer used to Sweetheart," Jesse huffed

_ [Get Reckt Cowboy, and besides, we get to see the kitten with her claws in person this time…] _

“Malik…,” Reyes started.

_ [C’mon you can’t tell me you’re not excited to see Bastet work...aye Kalli] _

“Seeing and hearing her work is two different things Malik,” Lyudmila spoke up, she had been silently sitting next to Reyes.

“Yea. We see one thing and well you get to hear another,” Jesse added.

_ [That was the lamest thing I've heard today] _

“Malik enough,” Reyes spoke up cutting the conversation short.

_ [Fiiiine...Don’t have too  much fun without me…] _

 

“Kallista...just to make sure you remember the mission details. This is just an intel mission. You will not have to engage the enemy, Birro has already infiltrated the ranks and will give us as much leeway as possible. Jesse will serve as backup as well as Lyudmila. You’re only gathering the information that Malik deemed necessary and important and upload it to Malik directly. This mission is time sensitive, we have more than one enemy, time. Keep an eye on it,” Reyes said

“Roger,” the small group said together.

_ [Roger Gabi~] _

“Cut it out Ramos,”

Malik’s voice was heard snickering through the group’s comm units.

“Malik yer somethin’ else,” Jesse chuckled.

_ [I know, cowboy,] _

“Silence. Both of you,” Lyudmila’s voice echoed in their units.

_ [Aye Aye Lyuda~] _

Reyes shifted in his seat as he glanced at the two sitting across from him and Lyudmila. His eyes focused on the woman, her icy blue eyes meeting his before they focused on the small PDA that was given to her for the mission. Kallista gripped the small device in her hand before she noticed that she had been sent a message. She looked around noticing Reyes’ eyes were on her. Shifting slightly she responded to the message.

_ {Malik: An escort mission hmmm??} _

{Kaines: I guess so? I’m not even cleared to carry a weapon yet}

{Malik: Eventually you will...he trusts you more}

{Kaines: That’s promising}

{Malik: Yeah. I heard Lyuda putting in some good words for you when you helped her out with those corrupted documents.}

{Kaines: Even better}

{Malik: This is your first time with Reyes :) }

{Kaines: Your word choice is terrible, you do know that right?}

{Malik: Exactly. I know what I said and I mean it in both ways :) }

{Kaines: You p.o.s...how dare you…}

{Malik: hahaha! He’s going to protect you with his life. Don’t be scared. Don’t piss your pants. That’s really unbecoming and not very lady like.}

{Kaines: I have more class than you think I do Malik. I’m offended}

{Malik: No doubts. Just Show}

{Kaines: Be prepared to be amazed by Bastet…}

The rest of the ride to the mission drop point was silent. Reyes found himself glancing at the woman across from him more than he would like to admit. His mind raced 1000 miles per hour, it was her first field mission, she wasn’t cleared to carry a gun. Besides those two points he was more worried about what was happening inside of her. She showed no signs of the serum that she was injected with  a year ago, he always kept a closer eye on her.

He hoped that no symptoms would appear under the stress of this mission. He didn’t want to see her on the field and felt that she didn’t belong.  He would be perfectly fine with her being anywhere else in the Blackwatch division than on the field.

They arrived at their drop point with no issue, Jesse and Lyudmila moved their points silently as Kallista and Reyes made their way to their entry point.

“Cameras above entry point and around the perimeter,” Kallista whispered. Reyes nodded in agreement as he spotted the security cameras above the door and around the entry point.

“Hay-B…” Reyes spoke quietly.

After a second of silence the cameras seemingly deactivated as the door slid open, Reyes and Kallista made their way into the compound, the door closing with a soft hiss behind them, the cameras reactivating.

_ “The wolf is on the move…”  _ Lyudmila’s voice came through their comm units.

Reyes and Kallista moved quickly and silently through the old looking compound, taking note of the new equipment and upgraded security system

**35 minutes.**

Kallista and Reyes slid next to the server room, the shadows hid the two as a guard walked past, unbeknownst to their presence. Reyes waited a moment before he decided to move, he quickly pointed out the cameras in the hall as Malik told him the layout of the area and what to look for. 

“Hay-B” Reyes whispered

_ “I can't hold my position any longer Lobo, it might be compromised, changing locations,”   _

 

Kallista heard the agent’s voice through her comm unit, even in the dark, she could tell that Reyes tensed as he ducked back into the shadows, she knew that her being there without a weapon or any type of defensive means she was basically a sitting duck, a liability for this mission to be compromised quick if they were to make a mistake.

_ [Gabi--] _

“Let me do this,” Kallista whispered as she began to type furiously on the holographic keyboard that flashed above her PDA. Gabriel took a quick glance at the woman before he turned his attention back to the guard that was on their way around again.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Reyes growled quietly. He moved silently to block the dim glow of the keyboard as she worked, the guard passed by without notice of their position and once the guard was out of sight, away from their goal. Kallista had gained access to the security system of the entire building. 

"Ramos, you should have access to the entire security system," Kallista said in a hushed tone as she stashed her PDA back into her bag. The door to the server room opened with a soft hiss. Reyes nodded to Kallista before he stepped out of the shadows, his guns were drawn ready to take down anyone that saw them. They moved silently but quickly into the server room, Reyes moved in first and made sure the room was empty followed by Kallista behind him. There was a soft whistle that came from their comm unit.

_ [Not bad Bastet...less than 10 seconds…] _

_ [Radio silence means radio silence, Ramos] _

_ [Oop, Lyuda.] _

Lyudmila’s voice echoed through their comm units, Reyes sighed in annoyance as he sealed the door behind them. He turned to Kallista who had already wandered to the targeted server her PDA in hand. 

“15 minutes,” Reyes said as he stood by the entrance, guns still in hand

“5-10 minutes is all I need...probably less,” Kallista slid her hood off with one hand as the small watch-like device began to scan the server she stood at.

_ [Tower EZK -1930, this is it, they both are it. If you can access a node, I can take it from there] _

Kallista nodded as she took a small cable from the PDA and in

“Upload beginning in three...two...one…uploading in progress,  five seconds til connection established,”

Reyes heard Kallista’s voice whisper over their comm. units, he was surprised at how quickly the upload began and how professional she sounded

_ [That was too easy...] _

“Scrub the data at least three times...the fact that there are no warning signs means that there is something hidden beneath or there might be a trap waiting to spring,” Kallista cautioned as she remained focused on the information that flashed on the screen of her PDA.

_ [Si~] _

“There’s also some files that are encrypted...and from what I can tell...salted messages, etcera,”

Reyes glanced at the woman sitting cross-legged, engrossed in her work, the green and black translucent wires running from her PDA to the terminal and to the server tower. This was better than he had imagined. She was efficient and quick completely crushed his expectations on how the data extraction process would go. He knew that he would be a little slower if he did the mission solo but he would be able to do it.

_ [I see all the info coming in...you think you can dig a little deeper?] _

“Already doing it, data mining. One minute remaining,” Kallista replied

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Reyes commented.

“Never,” Kallista replied curtly.

_ [Insert the two scramblers just for precau--pre...just in case ] _

“Yeah,” Kallista said as she crawled over towards the back of the server tower. Reyes turned his attention back to the entrance and the soft footsteps echoing.

_ [Ten minutes until guards change posts]  _

Reyes turned his attention back to the entrance and the soft footsteps that echoed in the hall, Lyudmila’s voice came through their earpieces, another warning impending clash if they remain in the server room longer than needed.

“Five minutes,” Reyes whispered.

“Reyes,” Kallista called out. Reyes took a glance at the door before moving to see the woman standing in the outer aisle of the towers on the balls of her feet, she hopped and jumped in an attempt to reach the top of the tower.

“I need a boost,”

Reyes moved over to the woman and placed one of this shotguns down before interlocking his hands together. Kallista moved quickly as he boosted her, she climbed on top of the server tower.

“Three minutes,” Reyes said as he watched her hang from the side of the tower.

“Installation complete. Moving to the second one,” Kallista crawled across the top of the towers until she came to the one she needed. After she inserted the last scrambler she attempted to slide off the tower. Reyes wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her from the tower and placing her on her feet.

“Thanks,” Kallista said as she moved towards the other side of the tower.

_ [We’re running ahead of schedule…with no issues] _

“Lobo, the exit is clear. I’m unable to return to my original location,” Hay-B’s voice came across their comm unit feed.

“I will continue to--”

A muffled explosion with an abrupt yelp forced Reyes’ attention to the woman, his heart skipped a beat when he saw Kallista writhing on the floor.

_ [What was that? Bastet?] _

_ [Is everything ok?] _

_ [Jefe--] _

Reyes quickly scooped Kallista in his arms and used his body to shield the woman from the debris that ejected from the overloading tower. Reyes cursed to himself as he knew what was going to come next, a flood of guards to their location. They needed to move and quick.

“You ok?” Reyes asked as he helped the woman up.

“Fine. I'm fine,” Kallista replied

_ [Whatever caused that overload, I severed the connection. They don’t know it was us.] _

_ “  _ There’s that trap,” Kallista groaned.

_ [We have movement outside the perimeter...German soldiers moving your way. Betta make it quick] _

“Did you get everything Ramos?” Reyes asked.

_ [Yes Gabi.] _

“Let’s move,” Reyes growled as he made his way towards the exit.

_ [The server overloading alerted the guards...you have about 25 seconds until you’re surrounded, Lobo] _

“That’s fine. Get yourself out of there and meet at the pickup point,” Reyes replied as he and Kallista moved into the shadows.

_ [But Lobo--] _

“Do not give yourself away. Act normally,” Reyes said as he glanced back at Kallista.

“I can create a diversion you know,” Kallista suggested.

_ [You have less than five minutes until your exit is surrounded, Lobo] _

“Do it. Lockdown, McCree provide back u,” Gabriel ordered.

“Perfect. Ramos. Overload the power generators, I'll overload the sprinkler system,” Kallista said as she pulled off a panel near the server room.

[ _ I like the way you think, I have access and two minutes...better make it count Gabi] _

Within seconds all the power in the compound had been cut, coating everything in darkness. Silence and soon followed by the constant spray of the sprinkler system. Kallista reached out and gently placed a hand on the man's shoulder. 

“I’m here, don't worry,” Gabriel assured her.

“I-I know...I’m ready when you are,” Kallista replied.

“You’re nervous,” 

“I might be,” Kallista's voice softened

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” Gabriel replied.

“Thanks,”

“Two minutes we will be at the exit point. Lockdown you provide backup” Gabriel ordered.

[ _ Roger] _

“Everyone move,”

* * *

Gabriel and Kallista moved silently through the compound avoiding the guards scrambling through the compound. Everyone moved to the extraction point as planned, he and Kallista were the last ones to arrive. No casualties. No encounters. Just how he liked it during the initial field missions. Once they were securely on their way back to HQ, he knelt in front of Kallista inspecting her and her injuries.

“Are you sure that you are alright?” He asked as he pulled one of his gloves off.

“I’m fine,” Kallista replied simply.

_ [You know you did have a panel blow up in your face…] _

"No one asked you, Ramos," Kallista grimaced at Malik’s voice reminding her of that embarrassing moment.

“I’m talking about your head,” Gabriel replied gruffly as he reached up and touched the right side of her head. Kallista turned away from the man's reach

“Malik...were you and the others able to get the data?” Lyudmila asked.

_ [We got the data...but it’s all scrambled. Not sure if it was like that to begin with or it happened on transfer...eh we might have some preliminary information when you all get back] _

“Are you sure yer ok Kalli? Let Reyes have a look at you,” Jesse said as he leaned back in his seat.

Kallista frowned slightly as she looked at the man in front of her, she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Gabriel took her response to him as permission, he gingerly touched Kallista’s face and moved to the back of her head taking note of her wincing and the blood on his hand.

“Yer fine right?” Jesse commented mockingly as he saw the blood on the man's hand.

“Didn’t even notice. Just a minor flesh wound,” Kallista replied cheekily.

“You’re going to the Med-Bay when we get back,” Gabriel said firmly.

“Yes sir…” Kallista replied softly as she looked away. Without a word, Gabriel moved to his seat across from her, a scowl on his face as he strapped himself in.

_ [Aww don’t scare her Gabi~] _

_ “  _ Not now Ramos,” Gabriel growled in annoyance.

“Ramos, quiet,” Lyudmila silenced the man in their earpieces.

“Give her a break Reyes. She did a helleva job. Way better than Nat, Malik, Hayden an’ me,” Jesse spoke up.

“This is not up for conversation. Drop it,” Gabriel replied firmly.

_ [Tan protector de tu gatita pequeño, Gabi…] _

“ _ Parar,  _ ahora _ , _ ” Reyes growled.

_ [Si tu lo dices…]  _

Kallista sighed heavily as she leaned back in her seat ignoring the throbbing pain in the right side of her head, the constant loud, but soft hum of the engine was blaring in her ears. She noticed a few weeks after being enrolled in that modified basics program, whatever concoction of drugs they injected her with, she was one of the few lucky ones to come out with just enhanced hearing and strength, but at the cost of constant migraines and probably something worse. She knew that the man lied to her as a sorry attempt to protect her from what would happen in the future.

 

Whatever this serum was, there were no records about it, no one in Overwatch knew about it and Dr. Ziegler indirectly refused to tell her about it. All she could gather from the gossip she managed to hear was that it was a modified version of the defunct Soldier Enhancement Program, a program that both Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes participated in. 

Kallista glanced at Reyes who was on his cell phone talking to Hayden, their inside source for the mission, she could hear Hayden's words from where she sat when she noticed that she had received a message on her PDA.

{Malik: Gabi is upset :( }

{Kaines: No shit sherlock…}

{Malik: Not because of the mission but more like because you got hurt on his watch}

{Kaines: Doubtful. I’m not sure what happened to cause that explosion...but that entire mission could have been compromised. So I understand why he would be angry…}

{Malik: You’re so full of shit. You know that mission was successful as soon as you placed that second transmitter. You’ve done better than anyone on their first field mission. You completed that data upload faster than the numb nuts here.}

{Kaines: Thanks for all the praise...but that doesn’t help me}

{Malik: He’s upset because his  _ gatita _ was hurt….}

{Kaines: Come off of it.}

{Malik: See you when you get baaaaack :) }

{Kaines: Yeah...see you when we get back...in like four hours}

Once the crew returned back from their mission, Kallista was placed on standby for missions.

  
  
  



	5. Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With not much to do, Kallista finds herself frustrated and looking for things to do.

\- Late 2061-

* * *

Months had passed since Kallista had been deployed on a mission, and there was no movement for the woman. She was placed on desk duty and was given access to Blackwatch's systems as the result of her first and successful mission.The information they had obtained provided leads on possible Talon access points and learned of a possible double agent working for the Austrian government.

Even with the giant lead, she was still placed behind a desk and given menial tasks to her standard. Reverse search damning propaganda against Omnics and those who sympathize with them. To infiltration of politicians, CEOs and influential individuals that had a connection to the now-defunct Omnium corporation, and lastly, she was able to take baby steps towards the mole or possible double agent in Overwatch or possibly in Blackwatch. There were so many people within the organization and with her current clearance she wouldn't be able to make any significant discoveries at this pace.

After weeks and soon months of no movement, Kallista's patience had run thin, she took the lack of work and used it to hone her mind and body through various training sessions, exercises and whatever she could do to stimulate her mind, to stave off boredom.  

"Put me on desk duty will you?" Kallista growled as she kicked the red punching bag, the hook creaked as it swung from the force the woman kicked into it.

"I'm just as capable as everyone else,"

Kallista growled as she roundhoused kicked the bag with all of her frustrations behind her strike. Three months had passed since her first and only mission in Blackwatch. The commander had managed to avoid, shelf and deflect her questions about missions and even pushed her to his second in command, Lyudmila.

" _Fuck this_. _Fuck you_. _Fuck him_ ," Kallista growled as she dealt a series of quick jabs and finished with a right hook causing the hooks of the bag to creak in distress.

" _Woah Kalli...talk about being frustrated…"_

Kallista held on to the bag as she turned to look over her shoulder at the woman who spoke to her. It was Natalie, one of the other Blackwatch agents. She stood with her arms crossed her signature grin on her lips. Unamused, Kallista sighed heavily as she placed her forehead to the bag as to calm and center herself before she spoke to the woman.

"Natalie," Kallista sighed.

"I couldn't help but notice you kicking this poor bag's ass...what did it do to you?" Natalie chuckled.

"Everything at this point," Kallista sighed again.

"I doubt it...but…" Natalie started when suddenly the punching bag fell from its hooks, startling the two women.

"I guess it got what it deserved...right?" Natalie smirked as she shifted her weight. It wasn't the first time she had broken the bag her sudden increase in strength was something that she had not yet gotten used to. Kallista sighed as she wiped the sweat that dripped down the sides of her face.

"It looks like you need to take a breather...wanna help me avoid working for 15 minutes?" Natalie said as she began to mess with her hair, she picked at the ends of her dyed blonde tips.

"You avoiding Reyes again?" Kallista questioned.

"No, more like those boring reports, it's all the same thing," Natalie huffed.

"Then it should be easy?" Kallista replied.

"If it's boring I don't wanna do it. See you in the outdoor quad in 15?" Natalie suggested as a smile spread across her plush lips. Kallista nodded in agreement before she headed towards the female locker room to freshen up as much as she could.

* * *

15 minutes later, the two women were across from each other at one of the small patio like tables. It was midday, various agents and workers passed through the courtyard or used it to relax on their breaks. Today, it was much quieter than usual.

"You're so frustrated Kalli...what's up?" Natalie asked as she clasped her hands together and leaned forward as if she was about to hear the juiciest piece of gossip. Kallista sighed heavily as she too leaned onto the table.

"Honestly, I'm still a little irritated that I'm not on the field,"

Natalie's golden eyes focused on the woman, studying her, watching movements and manners. Since Kallista's arrival, she had been watching her, curious more than anything. She made it a habit to check in on her to satisfy her curiosity.

"Why do you wanna go on missions so bad? You're like the opposite of what hackers are supposed to be. You're weird,"

"Pardon me?" Kallista asked, taken aback a bit by the woman's bluntness.

"You're a hacker that wants to be out on the field, wants to be shot at. Most people I know would rather do what you're doing, it sounds like you just want chaos," Natalie commented.

"Chaos is better than sitting on my arse," Kallista relied.

"You're so weird," Natalie laughed as she tilted her head in amusement. The woman always has a playful, mischievous aura around her but when she needed to do her job that playful attitude was nowhere to be found. With the copious amount of free time Kallista had she did a bit of research on the woman. She came from a modest family, the oldest of three siblings, went to Medical School, participated in various marksmen competitions, dropped out of Medical school and finally joined Phoenix Security Corps instead.

"To each their own, but what's going on? You can tell big sis Natalie," Natalie grinned. Kallista looked at the woman with an arched eyebrow.

"You do realize that I am older than you right?" Kallista stated and crossed her arms.

"How do you know how I am?" Natalie asked.

"Minor details Natalie," Kallista began and cleared her throat.

"I just feel kinda antsy sitting around. I mean for the past three months I've been feeding intel to everyone menial, mundane tasks,"

"Oh yeah, that. Well, you did hack into government protected and back servers, steal valuable information, wanted in ten different countries, all before you were recruited....bluntly putting it you technically are a criminal..." Natalie trailed off.

"Thanks for the reminder," Kallista sighed.

"Anytime but I'm sure Gabo will get over it. I'm sure he and Lyuda are working on your access to the rest of the servers," Natalie assured her.

"I'm quite sure. He has a permanent frown on his face that tells me otherwise. You make him out to be a nice guy when all I see is a scowling face of judgment and disapproval, " Kallista half laughed as she leaned back in her chair.

"Never said he was nice, I mean he is once you get to know him but that scowl is his normal look nowadays. He's been stressed about this and that and whatever else he does. Currently, he has two modes, Angry or scowling," Natalie sighed

"I've heard about the pranks that you and the others have pulled," Kallista laughed slightly. There were a few times Kallista witnessed the after-effects of the man being the center of a prank, Kallista was more surprised that the woman was still alive, well and still employed.  

"Good, but obviously Gabe wasn't feeling it," Natalie laughed.

"It's just mildly frustrating to sit here and not be able to do anything that's meaningful," Kallista sighed.

"Understandable. Lemme tell you this, Gabby is a man with a purpose and meaning behind all of his decisions so that means he hasn't found a meaningful purpose for you yet. He's not the one put people out on the field or give them a task that he feels that they can't complete efficiently and effectively. He's hella fierce and a stubborn man who is crazy protective of his agents and over you," Natalie shrugged. A heavy sigh came from Kallista as she looked unamused at the young woman across from her. Natalie also leaned back in her chair copying the woman's movements a smirk on her lips.

"He wants to make sure that he's doesn't mess up again basically. He's been beating himself up over what happened to you. So he wants to make sure that he's able to protect you, even though he won't come out and say it. I swear that's what he's doing….what? You don't believe me?" Natalie asked.

"I don't. I think this joke is quite overplayed. You need to stop hanging around Malik," Kallista huffed annoyed. Natalie arched an eyebrow as she heard the woman's British accent slip.

"I don't really...hang out with Malik...but you don't have to believe me. He doesn't say much but some of his gestures are pretty telling," Natalie began.

"That sounds kinda stalker-ish Natalie," Kallista commented.

"Ok. It's kinda my job to watch people but don't be **that** creepy. Just watch what he does..."Natalie trailed off.

"Natalie, no." Kallista shook her head.

"Natalie, yes" Natalie laughed.

Kallista shook her head at the woman's antics as she laughed, she brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear before relaxing into her chair. Natalie also relaxed into her chair. Natalie experienced limitation in a different form, she was the eldest in her family, expected to be a role model for her younger siblings, to follow everything their parents uttered, to follow a life plan they already had for her. Be at the top of your class, nothing lower than an "A" grade marking, go to Med School and become a Doctor. Everything was planned for her which left no room for what she wanted to do, what she wanted to be. Her decision to go against her parents left her in a limbo of being disowned as she accepted the position at Phoenix Security Corps and then Blackwatch.  

"I think I've done enough procrastination for the moment...," Natalie sighed heavily as she stood.

"For once," Kallista commented.

"Well you know...all work and no play is boring,"  Natalie shrugged her shoulder and grinned., Kallista scoffed.

"Let me know if you wanna get drinks...or raid Reyes' stash...he has the good stuff," Natalie said as she stood.

"I thought we were friends? It seems like you're trying to get me thrown into jail," Kallista replied.

"You'll be fine, with all the stuff you've done and you're not in prison I think you'll be fine," Natalie laughed as she waved off the woman's concern about being caught by Reyes, Kallista jeered at the woman's comment.

"No worries. Trust me!" Natalie said as she smirked at her.

"I don't have a choice do I?"

"Hey don't come at me like that. You're hella cute, you're a hella good hacker and how you were punching that bag you could give Gabe--," Natalie started.

"Enough," Kallista huffed.

_"Hehe...trust me. You'll see,"_

* * *

Another month had passed with no movement on Gabriel's side to put Kallista out on the field. Kallista used the time to do more research within Overwatch and the agents within the intel department and pay more attention to her immediate crew, some of their little quirks were telling of who she was dealing with.

Malik's fake smile, hiding the pain that his body was in. She could see him trembling as he stood with his cane or as he spoke to other people. He was hiding his pain with laughter, jokes, and flirtation.

She noticed that Lyudmila hummed softly as she cleaned her guns or the occasional melancholy look. As if she remembered something close to her heart as she absentmindedly fiddled with her gloved left ring finger as if something should have been there.

The Strike Commander's daily visits to the Blackwatch division and the goofy smile he gets when Natalie is around. She had picked up that the Strike Commander was usually the butt of the jokes that other Blackwatch agents told.

She occasionally watched Gabriel, to the point she was able to tell when he stopped paying attention in missions or how bored he was with the missions that were given them the division. The moments where he would 'puff' out his chest, the moments where their eyes would meet.

As weeks passed, Kallista had already figured out everyone's little ticks, their weaknesses and was able to persuade some of the agents to unknowingly answer some general questions about Blackwatch. As Bastet, she sought to expose Blackwatch and all of its crimes, but now she worked for the same people she worked to expose of course she was going to be curious and attempt to get answers.Once she had gotten additional clearance and access to more of Overwatch's files than Blackwatch, her curiosity only piqued more. She scoured over the files, spent time in the digital and actual Overwatch library making a mental note to research more about specific people, events, and whatever she could find. She had low-level access, it was a start and she could work with it.

Kallista casually walked around the halls of Overwatch, her attention turned to the darkened sky and the lights of the city in the distance. She had holed herself in the library researching events that were related to Overwatch dating back to the beginning and end of the Omnic Crisis. She rubbed her temples gently she could faintly hear the howls of the wind outside, the soft hum of electricity that flowed through the building.

A side effect.

It had been almost eight months since the incident, her hearing and strength had been increased a side effect of the serum that she was still learning to deal with. Most of the time she could do without the medication that she had to take to control her migraines from her sensitivity. After her talk with Natalie, she began to pay more attention to Gabriel and how he went out of his way to check on her or had someone else do it when he couldn't.

_"Kallista?"_

"Lyudmila...w-what can I do for you?" Kallista asked before she turned to face her, she knew it was the woman just from how she walked.

"Nothing. It's just strange for you to be here so late," Lyudmila replied, Kallista squinted at the blue digital numbers down the hall. It was 9 pm, for her it was later than usual.

"Oh...I lost track of time," Kallista replied.

"In the training hall and Library, I assume?" Lyudmila said as she leaned on the wall next to her.

"Yeah…" Kallista trailed off.

"You broke another bag didn't you?" Lyudmila chuckled softly.

"Oh...you heard about that," Kallista replied sheepishly.

"Of course. Word travels fast when things break or if it's about you, specifically. But, I need to go to the R&D Dept. Want to come with me?" Lyudmila asked as she pushed herself off the wall.

"Sure. I got nothing else better to do," Kallista said as she began to follow the woman down the hall.

There were a few moments of silence between the two women, Kallista stole a glance of the woman before she spoke up. She was covered from head to toe in black workout gear, sweatpants, boots, shirt, and hoodie. Kallista noticed the one black glove covering her left hand. Kallista could only speculate that either her hand had extreme scarring or it was prosthetic, she thought the same thing about the woman's legs. From the way that the woman walked she could tell that she may have gone through some type of injury.

"Are you coming back from training?" Kallista asked.

"Something like that. Hand to hand and target practice with a few other agents," Lyudmila replied.

"Do you train all of the Blackwatch agents?"

"Sometimes. Reyes and I do the finer details, but I suppose general training is completed with all of the agents based on their level," Lyudmila replied.

" I see…" Kallista trailed off.

"If you're curious about your situation. You didn't have any prior experience within the military...it was supposed to be a solid training plan for you," Lyudmila began.

"Yeah...about that," Kallista sighed.

The woman clicked her tongue at the woman's sigh, she didn't know all of the side effects but knew that what happened to her shouldn't have happened.

"If you think of it like this, you have even more reason to be on the field...or at least even a little bit," Lyudmila commented.

"Sure, if Reyes would even let me. He had the gall to push me onto you...that's rude," Kallista huffed.

"He does that sometimes… and he's being...a bit...defensive," Lyudmila replied as she rounded a corner, Kallista followed.

"Defensive you say? I was told that there are times Blackwatch agents are needed on the field, I can't do what I am originally meant to do, so then what do I do in the meantime?" Kallista questioned.

"True. But that would mean that you would spend all of your time behind a desk. We didn't expect for you to want to be on the field so badly. A hacker that wants to fight," Lyudmila commented.

"Well...what else am I going to do when I don't have access to the servers?" Kallista quipped.

"You are correct. You do need access, which we are working on," Lyudmila glanced down at the woman. Lyudmila sighed and stopped walking, Kallista stopped a few feet in front of her.

"Look. I get that you hacked into the Overwatch servers or whatever and to regain that trust you need to prove yourself. I also get that you want to but Reyes is holding you back," Lyudmila started.

"Then?" Kallista asked.

"Simply put, I'm working on it. I think it would be a shame, and a big waste of your skill and potential to be placed at a desk," Lyudmila sighed as she crossed her arms.

"I'm flattered," Kallista replied softly.

"Honestly...this isn't the first time I've encountered Bastet…"Lyudmila trailed off.

"...what do you mean?" Kallista asked her curiosity piqued. Lyudmila studied the woman before she began to speak again.

"Perhaps...another time," Lyudmila said as she walked pass Kallista.

"Hey, you can't just do that. You're going to tell me right?" Kallista questioned as she quickly followed the woman.

"Sure. As soon as you get on the field,"

"That means I'm never gonna know," Kallista said bluntly.

"You never know might be in a few weeks," Lyudmila suggested.

"Stop it. Stop messing around," Kallista sighed annoyed.

"Seriously...there's a mission coming up...and I recommended you…,"

"Wait...seriously?!"

"I can see your potential Kallista. Anyone can learn to shoot a gun, but it takes skill to do what and you do it flawlessly. I can't guarantee Reyes will budge but wearing him down is another option," Lyudmila said as she stopped in front of the R&D Department.

"Touche…" Kallista replied.

"I'll be a few minutes, you don't have to wait...or...have you been here before?" Lyudmila asked.

"I kinda figured it would be off limits to me, with all of the new tech in there," Kallista replied sarcastically.

"Off limits? Nonsense. I believe if you actually wanted to do something you would have done it already, and you'd be severely outnumbered. You're smarter than that. Come on," Lyudmila said as she entered the room. Kallista shrugged and followed after the woman.

* * *

Hours later Kallista made a quick stop into the Blackwatch common's room to grab a bottle of water before heading to bed. The conversations she had with the lead developer of the R&D Department and Lyudmila left Kallista excited for the months to come, excited she almost didn't realize the honey colored eyes watching her as she 'bounced' over to the fridge.

"What's got you all excited, Kalli?"

Kallista turned her attention to the man lounging on the large sectional sofa across the room. Jesse McCree was lounging on the sofa, more interested in what was on his phone than the large screen t.v

"Projects," Kallista replied.

"Oh? You actually goin' on a mission with us this time?"

"Probably not…" Kallista trailed off.

"Ain't too surprisin', Reyes being all defensive of ya. Can't say what for though you do jus mighty fine by yourself," Jesse said as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Who knows maybe you should find out for me, What are you watching?" Kallista asked as she approached the back of the sofa.

"No can do Kalli, I like where I am mighty fine an' for what I'm watchin, I jus turned on the tv an' this is what came up," Jesse said as he looked up at the woman.

"Hm. You know I don't think I ever apologized for kicking you in the face," Kallista began.

"Ain't nothing to worry 'bout sugar," Jesse replied with a smirk as he went back to looking at his phone.

Kallista placed a hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes at the man, Jesse looked up from his phone noticing that she had placed her hand on her hip, but she was also glaring at him.

"Don't call me that," Kallista retorted

"S-Sorry...jus a habit," Jesse replied nervously as he smiled at her. Unamused, Kallista took a drink of water.

"So…" Jesse started.

"What's your story? You don't seem like a normal recruit," Kallista commented.

"S'cause I'm not…" Jesse trailed off as he gnawed on the toothpick that hung loosely from his lips.

"You heard of the Deadlock gang?" Jesse asked.

"Of course," Kallista replied.

"Right...I forget that you were an all seein' lil' miss hacker. Well, He picked me up durin' a raid that Overwatch conducted on the gang. Didn't know he was with Overwatch...or should I say Blackwatch. He said he felt sorry for me, an that's how I got here," Jesse replied.

"He didn't want to see you in jail...I assume that you're young and the fact that you have valuable information about the Deadlock gang," Kallista started as she turned to look at the young man.

"Is it my baby face that's givin' it away? I can't be that much younger than you," Jesse chuckled.

"More so like your peach fuzz," Kallista laughed.

"Peach fuzz? I'm offended Kalli, I"ll have you know there's more 'ere than jus peach fuzz," Jesse replied as he gently scratched at his facial hair.

"Right...more than peach fuzz. I'll try to remember that," Kallista smirked.

"An' besides you can't be that much younger than me," Jesse pouted.

"Do you even know how old I am?" Kallista questioned.

"You can't be older than me...an' I ain't about to ask," Jesse replied cheekily.

"You're smarter than you look cowboy," Kallista smirked.

"Thanks for that sassy comment of yers. Well y'know-" Jesse started with a crooked grin.

"Have a good night Jesse," Kallista said as she patted the man on the head.

"...good night Kalli," Jesse replied slightly confused as he watched her leave the commons room.

"She has to be at least 22…" Jesse said to himself as he went back to his phone.


	6. Gray & Fine Lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kallista has begun working with the Overwatch R&D Department to keep herself busy until Reyes allows her to go on missions, in the meantime, she learns a little bit more about Reyes as he does about her.

"What is she doing?" Gabriel questioned.

"She's working...I suppose?" Lyudmila replied.

"In the R&D Department? Is that why she's been quiet?" Gabriel asked.

"It only took you three weeks to notice," Lyudmila commented.

"I was busy," Gabriel replied

You did say you wanted to keep her busy," Lyudmila commented as she stood next to Gabriel, her arms crossed.

"I did, but I didn't expect it to be this," Gabriel replied as he watched Kallista dressed in a large clunky gray suit attempting to move around. He had to admit it was a hilarious sight to see the small woman in something twice her size.

"Can't be picky with solutions Reyes," Lyudmila replied.

"I guess so," Gabriel replied.

"Besides...she gets to field test the projects they are working on, she brought up a good point yesterday," Lyudmila began.

"You two were talking?" Gabriel asked surprised. Lyudmila glanced at Gabriel and chuckled.

"We have. More so on the business side than girl talk. She's smart, charming and interesting...but that's beside the point. She mentioned that if everything goes well Blackwatch may get their hands on prototypes first,"

"I suppose so," Gabriel sighed.

"Don't worry unless you're going to put her back on the field?" Lyudmila underhandedly suggested.

"Not yet," Gabriel replied.

"I can understand your hesitation somewhat Reyes, but she did in a way complete basics, she's no longer classified as a civilian and she is more than willing to be on the field," Lyudmila commented as she turned to look at the man.

"I know. You don't have to remind me," Gabriel replied, he knew that he was being stubborn about putting her on the field.

"So then?"

"She got to you didn't she?" Gabriel huffed.

"She's logical and a practical person. She'd be good on the field as technical support and I wouldn't go as far as to say that she 'got to' me," Lyudmila chuckled softly.

Gabriel grumbled in response to the woman's suggestion, he didn't expect for Kallista to 'change' Lyudmila's mind so quickly, nor want to be on the field. He was hesitant to put Kallista onto the field due to the unknown effects of the serum, he didn't want to take any chances. But maybe he was being a little too hesitant. He trusted Lyudmila and her suggestions wholeheartedly, she was his second in command.

"I'll think about it," Gabriel replied

"Stubborn as usual. Don't wait too long, she has great potential," Lyudmila commented.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's not what she's here for, you know this," Gabriel sighed heavily.

"Yes, but we can also use her help and you know it," Lyudmila replied.

"We'll see,"

* * *

Just a little bit more Kallista...are you still doing ok?" Alexander said as he watched Kallista's movement in the bulky armor.

"I'm ok right now...but I know that I am definitely sweating..." Kallista replied.

"Let me know when you start melting," Alexander chuckled.

"I don't think you should really laugh at that...what if my insides liquefy?" Kallista asked as sweat rolled down her face.

"We'll take you out before that happens. We're watching your vitals," Alexander replied.

"That's reassuring," Kallista smirked.

"We just need you to do a few more movements Kallista and then we can take you out of that," a woman's voice came from over a speaker in the room.

"Lovely," Kallista replied sarcastically.

"Out of breath?" Alexander quipped.

"Not yet," Kallista said as she crouched in the suit.

"C'mon show us that super soldier you got in you,"

"That sounds oddly sexual," Kallista commented.

"You don't say?" Alexander laughed.

"You want me to punch you?" Kallista asked

"No. That's ok I'd like to keep my bones in one piece, thank you," Alexander laughed.

"That's what I thought,"

The large bulky armor was a new project that the Research and Development (R&D) Department was working on that consisted of two parts. The bulky armor that delivered various elements to the second part of the black suit that Kallista wore was the second part of the project, the suit was created as a new design for Overwatch agents. The idea of the new suit provided agents with protection from the elements that may be harmful to humans if exposed for long periods until they were able to make it to a safe space. The time that Kallista had spent with them allowed the project to move quicker than expected, in the next coming month Kallista would be able to field test the suit if given permission to do so.

"We got good data from this test Kallista. Let's get you out of that suit," a tall woman said as she approached her and the group.

"Please Sabina, I feel like I'm melting. I assume there will be some type of temperature control in the suit when you get to that point?" Kallista asked as she attempted to move.

"Of course!" the lead developer, Sabina, said as she and other technicians went over to the woman to help her out of the bulky suit of armor.

"Sabina we can have a design specifically for Kallista in at least three weeks," Scott said as he pulled off the chest piece.

"That's a good start, but we also want to make sure that we don't get delayed on our other projects. The director is a stickler for being on time with all projects," Sabina sighed.

"We got this. No worries Sabina," Gideon said as he lifted Kallista from the large bulky legs of the armor.

"Thanks, Gideon," Kallista sighed as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. The tests they had the woman conduct in the large bulky armor, paired with the black suit and the additional generators, coils and tubes weighed down Kallista's smaller frame enough that she had worked up a sweat.

"You're welcome, lass," Gideon said.

* * *

It was hours later when Kallista was released from the R&D Department, she took an hour to herself on the roof to calm herself down from the noises, tests and it was a quiet place to eat as well. She opened the door to the roof--

"Oh-! I didn't know you came up here," Kallista said as she down at the man sitting on the roof facing north. Gabriel looked over his shoulder at the woman, slightly surprised at her appearance. 

"Didn't know you came up here," Gabriel replied.

"We're probably up here for the same reason," Kallista said as leaned on the structure's wall.

"Probably. Have a seat," Gabriel replied. Kallista nodded as she casually strolled over to the man and sat near him. Gabriel caught a glance of a bag in her hand before she placed it on her lap, he turned his attention back to his cell phone

"...do you want some?" Kallista asked.

"What's that?" Gabriel asked as he continued to remain focused on his cell phone.

"...Dinner," Kallista replied.

"Dinner? Are you still not eating?" Gabriel sighed.

"I'm eating...just not at conventional times," Kallista replied as she pulled out a small sandwich.

"I guess?" Gabriel replied as he placed a cigarette between his lips.

"Smoking is bad for your health," Kallista commented. Gabriel glanced at her, cigarette still hanging from his lips.

"Are you a smart one? You're not the first and I'm sure you're not going to be the last one," Gabriel chuckled. 

"It's not good for your skin either," Kallista added as she bit into her sandwich. Gabriel scoffed at the woman's comment.

"Neither is all of those energy drinks you drink," Gabriel replied.

"Touche…" Kallista trailed off.

"How is working with the R&D going?" Gabriel asked as he leaned back twirling the cigarette between his fingers.

"I think it's going well...they want me to field test an elemental suit for them...soon," Kallista replied.

"Do they now? Under whose permission?"Gabriel asked.

"C'mon you know I'd be good on the field. Even Lyuda said so," Kallista commented as place her trash into her bag. Gabriel sighed heavily at the mention of Lyudmila's name, he knew what they were doing in addition to Natalie's tactics of reminding him of her.

"I have a mission for you...just be patient a bit ok?" Gabriel sighed.

"Wait...really?" Kallista asked she turned towards the man excited, Gabriel put a hand out to calm her excitement.

"Don't get overly excited...I need to make arrangements first…," Gabriel turned slightly to study her, her lips pursed together expectantly as she stared back at the man, she held back her excitement for a mission she knew nothing about.

"You look silly," Gabriel commented.

"I'm...excited...I want to show you that I'm more capable than you think I am…," Kallista trailed off. Gabriel shifted next to her as he listened to her, he already knew that she was capable, more so than some of the others within Blackwatch. Of course, he wouldn't tell that to her, he didn't need her head to get as big as the others.

"So, tell me Reyes when were you exposed to the serum?" Kallista questioned as she sipped her energy drink

"Back when I first enlisted in the United States Military many years ago. Surprisingly it's still going strong," Gabriel commented reluctantly.

"Did you know about it?" Kallista turned towards him, her dark hair draping over her shoulder as she leaned forward.

"Not at first. We just knew the type of training we had was grueling...once we started vomiting, instances of blindness, nose bleeds, seizures, heart attacks we knew something was happening…" Gabriel trailed off

"That sounds so much worse...than my migraines," Kallista sighed.

"Everyone doesn't have the same effects...but it was worth it in the end. We did our jobs and it got us what we wanted,"

"The end of the Omnic Crisis and peace," Kallista replied.

"Exactly," Gabriel said as he continued to fidget with the cigarette.

"Who would have guessed that the Blackwatch commander was as test subject for war....surprisingly I didn't come across that before I was captured," Kallista commented.

"Surprising, indeed," Gabriel placed the cigarette back between his lips and began to fidget with his lighter.

"I guess I should be thank you for your service huh?" Kallista joked.

"Respect your elders Kallista," Gabriel chuckled.

"Oh come on you're not that old...I mean I see a few gray hairs but--" Kallista began

"You trying to offend me, girl?" 

"Not exactly, but I mean if you're laughing at it I can," Kallista replied sheepishly.

"Come on I'm not even graying yet," Gabriel sighed.

"You sure? I think I see some in your beard," 

"Not surprised, " Gabriel said as he scratched his chin and then smoothed his beard.

"I was kidding," Kallista said as she crossed her legs.

"What about you? What made you go the route you did,"

"I could say a bunch of things...but honestly I can't even tell you where it began," Kallista replied.

"There's always motives for what you do," Gabriel replied. Kallista tilted her head slightly as she looked at Gabriel, she curious as to why he wanted to know about her past but didn't express any curiosity about her then.

"Is that so? Then what do you think?" Kallista questioned.

"A young woman, wanting to stick it to the man because something happened to her or someone close to her. Out for revenge and found out that she was good at what she did and decided to take on something larger...and got caught,"

"Wow...is that what you think of me?" Kallista laughed.

"That's a good question," Gabriel replied and smirked.

"Then...what do you think of me? Hm?"

"Flirting with your commanding officer Kallista?" Gabriel chuckled.

"I don't know what you're talking about...I'm just asking a simple question," a coquette smirk on her lips.

"Is that so?" Gabriel chuckled again as he looked at the woman. Kallista ran a hand through her dark hair as she held the man's gaze and waited for him to answer. The soft squeak of the metal door caught their attention and broke the silence between them.

"Oh...Looks like our time is up..." Kallista said as she stood and dusted herself off 

"Hm?" Gabriel asked as the cigarette hung from his lips.

"Morrison," Kallista nodded as she walked past the man, Morrison watched the woman disappear into the building before he turned his attention back to his friend.

"So what was that about?" Morrison started.

"Chit chat," Gabriel replied as he lit his cigarette.

"Chit-chatting alone?" Morrison questioned as he used air quotations to emphasize his words.

"Morrison...shut up and sit down," Gabriel groaned as he began to fidget with his lighter.

"I couldn't resist. I have been the butt of a lot of your jokes and not to mention Natalie's sometimes," Morrison said as he sat down next to the man.

"You seem to be in a good mood,"

"I got fewer things to worry about for once," Gabriel replied.

"We'll see how long that lasts...something is always coming up," Morrison sighed as he leaned back against the cement wall.

"Oh, thanks. Shit on my parade Jack, " Gabriel said sarcastically.

"Someone has to do it eventually, "Morrison chuckled

"Piece of shit…, " Gabriel scoffed.

* * *

Weeks passed as Kallista continued to work with the R&D Department developing new suits for the agents while meeting up with Reyes afterward to talk about the progress in the R&D department, in addition to a possible reconnaissance mission for her. The sun had already set when the two came from the roof talking casually as they made their way towards the sleeping quarters for the Blackwatch agents.

"See you at training Reyes," Kallista said and yawned.

"Don't be late," Gabriel said. She smirked and shrugged as she walked away, Gabriel huffed as he watched her go. He crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly as if he was deep in thought.

"After two years and you're finally checking her out? You're a little late aren't you Gabe?" Ana's voice came from behind him  
"Hm?" Reyes turned around.  
" I leave for a mission and you're getting cozy with Kalli...Gabriel, you're a sly dog," Ana teased as she smacked him on the arm.  
"I'm going to pretend I didn't' hear that. Welcome back Ana," Reyes replied causing the woman to chuckle.  
"Thanks it's good to be back, but it's quite alright Gabe...you have my permission," Ana laughed as she walked with the man.  
"Permission? For what?" Reyes questioned.  
"Oh come on you two are cute together. I heard that you two were all 'chit-chatting' on the roof...and almost every night too..." Ana trailed off.

"Let me guess Morrison told you," Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps, you forget I have more than one source and I'll never tell on my sources," Ana smirked.  
"My Intel department isn't meant to be used like that, Ana," Reyes replied.  
"Nonsense Gabriel," Ana replied a huge smirk on her face. Gabriel sighed at the woman shaking his head at the sheer gall she had to accuse him like that, then again Ana Amari was that type of woman.

"How long have you been back?" He asked.  
"Just a few days. You know I had to spend some time with Fareeha see how she's doing in school. I was told that she wanted to go to college...my baby girl is all grown up," Ana sighed.  
"Oh yeah? That's great. Did she decide on where she wanted to go," Reyes asked as he leaned back on the wall behind him. Ana moved next to the man and looked out the window.  
"Not yet...even though she said she wanted to go to college she also has the idea of joining the military too," Ana replied.

"Following in her mother's footsteps," Reyes chuckled.

"Perhaps?" Ana replied.

Reyes glanced at the woman next to him. A longtime friend he had made back when he was in the military, Ana Amari, the woman that never missed, Morrison's second in command. She always got her mark. Recently dread hovered over him when it came to the missions that she had been assigned. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and hoped for the best for not just her, but for Overwatch and Blackwatch as a whole.

"She asked about you and wondered if you started graying from all of the stress," Ana chuckled.  
"That's rude. Ana teach your child some manners," Reyes chuckled.

"She learned from the best...meaning you, Jack, Reinhardt, Torbjorn, Angie and do I even have to mention Jesse," Ana chuckled.

"Touche," Gabriel replied.  
"Although things may have calmed down, there's still things that we need to do...but we also need to keep in mind that we are old. We might not look it but we are," Ana replied as she looked at him.  
"Yeah yeah…," Reyes sighed as he pulled off his beanie and scratched his head.  
"Thoughts about settling down?" Ana asked.  
"Haven't thought about it," Reyes replied honestly.  
"Really? You'd make a good father," Ana chuckled.  
"You don't say?" Reyes asked sarcastically.

"You already have, what five kids you take care of already?" Ana laughed.

"Don't remind me," Gabriel sighed tiredly.

"But, seriously. You should at least think about it. We eventually have to hand it over to the kids," Ana continued.

"For the sake of the world, let's hope we don't have to anytime soon" Gabriel replied.

"Oh come on Gabriel...have a little bit more faith," Ana poked the man in his chest as she crossed her arms.  
"I dunno Ana…" Gabriel chuckled.

"At least think about settling?" Ana said as she crossed her arms.

"When the time is right I will," Gabriel said as he pushed himself from the wall.

"When will that be?"

"I dunno," Gabriel shrugged as he walked away.

"Gabriel," Ana began.

"Good night Ana,"

* * *

Another week passed, another week closer to her recon mission, Kallista pulled her hair from the messy bun she had put it in as while she sparred with Natalie. She was on her way to Reyes' office to see if there was anything additional she needed to do for her upcoming mission. Stopping in front of the door, Kallista knocked softly before she entered.

"Hey, Reyes-" Kallista started but stopped as she saw the man sitting with his eyes closed rubbing his temples.

"Are you…" Kallista trailed off as Gabriel looked up at her, a slightly pained expression lined his features.

"You could have waited for me to let you in," Gabriel replied gruffly.

"Open door policy...you said it yourself," Kallista replied. The man scoffed as he leaned back in his chair. Kallista looked around the man's office, the overhead light of the man's office was dim, the blinds closed, and the stench of cigarettes hung in the air. Almost immediately Kallista could tell that the man had been holed in his office for quite some time and then the pained expression that lined his features told her more than what he would say.

"...SEP right?" Kallista asked

"...yeah," Gabriel grunted. Kallista nodded as she moved over to the man.

"It's weird that we feel affected at the same time," Kallista commented, she hadn't slept in a day and was dealing with a migraine.

"It happens sometimes...with Morrison and I," 

"Do you have any meds for you?" Kallista asked softly.

"They don't exactly work anymore. The amount I would need could kill a man instantly," Gabriel sighed as he put his head in his hands.

"Let me know if I can help you in any way...I mean you've helped me more than once," Kallista offered, she remembered the many times he had helped her when her migraines were too much and she wasn't able to function. Gabriel chuckled at the woman's offer to help him, he knew that she suffered just like him and probably worse.

"Sure, a distraction would be nice," Gabriel joked as he began to rub his temples again.

"A distraction? Will that be enough?" Kallista asked.

"Anything at this point," Gabriel replied.

Kallista gently nudged the chair back away from the desk and quickly closed the gap between them. She caught the man off guard with first the kiss and her sudden movement to straddle lips. Slowly she pulled back from the kiss, eyes half-lidded as she looked at the man, the man chuckled softly as he looked at the woman his eyes flicking to her lips.

"You're pretty bold for all of this," Gabriel said softly.

"Is that a bad thing?" Kallista asked.

"Maybe, maybe not but Is this your idea of a distraction?" Gabriel asked softly.

"Is it working?" Kallista asked.

The man was silent, his mahogany eyes studied the woman before he made any movement. He followed the rules to a certain extent and wasn't bothered when he caught his agents in more than compromised positions but now he was on the other end. He sighed softly and gently placed a hand on her hip as he shifted in his chair.

"Look at you breaking the rules," Kallista whispered as she leaned forward, her lips hovered over his as if she waited for the man to give her permission to continue. She knew that she had already crossed the line, but now she was more curious to know how far the man would go, how far she could push the rules.

"I don't always play by the rules,"

Their lips brushed gently against one another, hesitant and yet neither one relented. They were already too far in.


	7. Bulgasari

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kallista's first mission after being behind a desk for so long.

He was a man of his word, in the following weeks Gabriel allowed Kallista on her first mission, a reconnaissance mission to Seoul, South Korea. The once leader in technology and fashion was one of the first countries to be hit first in the First Omnic Crisis. In a way, the country was still rebuilding from the first crisis and the once calm, luscious and open-minded country was now teeming with an anti-Omnic mentality, various anti-Omnic groups formed and pushed the recovering country into a state of tension and unrest. The group that Blackwatch kept their eyes on was the group called _Bulgasari_.

" _Bulgasari…_ " Kallista trailed off as she looked at her new cell phone given to her for this mission.

"Interesting name choice for a resistance group…" Gabriel said as he sipped his coffee, he casually sat next to the woman at a small cafe.

"It kinda makes sense...Bulgasari is an iron-eating monster known for destroying evil and wrong things…you know Korean mythology and all," Kallista replied as she continued to look at the article on her phone.

"And their goal is to drown South Korea into civil unrest," Gabriel replied.

"Yeah...so much hateful propaganda…." Kallista trailed off.

"Don't get distracted. You know what we're here for," Gabriel reminded her.

Dressed as tourists Kallista and Reyes blended in with other tourists from around the world as they gathered information about the Anti-Omnic resistance group Bulgasari and their connection to a well-known CEO Jae-Hyun "Cassius" Park.

In addition to Bulgasari, one of Seoul natives, CEO with a celebrity like status _Jae-Hyun "Cassius" Park._ A businessman in the technology and transportation sector was another name on Blackwatch's list to keep an eye on. The man was everywhere and made it known that he and his company were going to propel South Korea back to its greatness, regardless of the consequences. He donated lump sums of money to the government to and gave suggestions for implementing new technology and more. Effectively putting himself and in the limelight of the government.

Kallista's mission consisted of locating where his money is originated from, learn about Park's business partners, discover his connection to the resistance group, dampen the resistance group's communications. The man was the fire to light the powder keg known as the resistance group.

Overwatch and Blackwatch both knew this.

"There's fliers everywhere for this protest…" Kallista commented as she looked at the flyer on the table.

"How else are you going to get people to come and listen to you spout nonsense?" Gabriel responded as he looked at his cellphone.

"That is true…" Kallista replied as she moved closer to the man, playing her part as a tourist couple. Gabriel placed an arm around the back of her chair, playing his part.

"Hopefully this will at least be peaceful,"

"The only way to find out is to go,"

* * *

The sun had set hours ago when Kallista and Gabriel had managed to get a hotel room. They had spent most of the day on the streets of Seoul acting as tourists and sightseeing. The protest they had attended was luckily uneventful but was telling of the tension that had stewed in the country, the tension called for Blackwatch's attention but not enough to act, yet.

"We've been gone all day, I need a rose bath," Kallista groaned as she sluggishly followed after the man to their shared hotel room.

"We got a lot of ground covered and got great info," Gabriel replied as he unlocked the door to the hotel room.

"Yeah and I feel like death," Kallista said as she entered the room.

For the past two days, Kallista and Gabriel had been posing as tourists watching the unrest in the streets of Seoul, gathering intel on the resistance group and Jae-Hyun Park. So far everything was going quicker than planned, her skills exceeded more than he expected. She was knowledgeable in Korean politics, spoke Korean fluently, blended in the crowd easily and work consistently and quickly.

She had already gathered leads to Cassius's money trails, located the individual in charge of the resistance's communications and was working with the others to disrupt their communications, and she already had an idea of where to find his business partners, who they were, and how they were connected in the grander scheme of things.

Maybe he was missing the chance by not having her out on the field.

Maybe.

Gabriel closed the door behind them and instantly bolted it, they weren't followed but old habits die hard. Kallista moved quickly around the room, scanning for bugs that may have been planted in the room. When she was finished she turned to the man and signaled that the room was clear. During their time in Seoul, they switched hotels and locations just as a precaution if anyone happened to be too curious about them.

"How quickly this is going...we should be out of here within a day or so. You're doing a lot better than I expected," Gabriel commented as he dumped his small duffle bag down.

"You underestimated me, so allow me to continue to crush your expectations, Reyes," Kallista replied smugly as she too dropped her bag.

"Don't let it go to your head girl," Gabriel chuckled.

"I know when I'm good at something and I'm not shy about it," Kallista replied.

"Obviously,"

Kallista gave the man a cheeky smile as she plopped onto the full-size bed.

"It sucks that they only had a full-size bed…a double would have been perfect...trailed off,"

"We take what we can get," Gabriel said as he scrolled through messages on his cellphone and pulled a datapad from his bag.

The hotel room was basic and had minimal necessities for their night stay. A small table, an electric water kettle, a coffee maker with its amenities, a full-size bed, a small chair, and a small hallway that led to the bathroom and small closet. They carried basic needs for the mission, he carried a concealed gun, ammo clip, an extra set of clothing and basic tech, they needed to blend in with the surroundings and become tourists.

"How is your head?" Gabriel asked as he focused on the data streaming on the pad.

"It's ok…" Kallista replied as she took off her cropped hoodie and slipped off her boots.

"Are you ok? The others? "

"I'm fine, just looking at updates back at the base," Gabriel replied as he tossed the datapad back into his bag and checked his cell phone again.

"I assume you're checking up on the new girl? How is she?" Kallista said as she yawned.

"Yeah...and others. Lyuda said the girl is having issues adjusting, volatile, a loner doesn't really talk to anyone…and she's stubborn," Gabriel sighed.

"Sounds like you have a lot of children to take care of Reyes. She was transferred from the Overwatch division right, something about her father? She sounds like a mess," Kallista asked. The man scoffed

"Children? Give me a break. Let me guess Lyuda told you?" Gabriel sighed. He was a little annoyed at how quickly information traveled in the division, but then again he knew there was always some type of gossip floating around.

"Maybe..." Kallista trailed off as she stretched out on the bed. Gabriel studied the woman before shaking his head and focusing his attention on his bag.

"Malik then,"

"I'll never tell my sources," Kallista smirked. Gabriel scoffed at the woman's cheeky response, it reminded him of Ana's way of finding out information he would normally keep to himself or a few others and yet Ana found out. He chalked up the info leak to Malik.

It was always him or at least he knew about it if he spread the information or not was always up in the air. He noticed the pause between them before Kallista spoke up.

"I guess we're sharing a bed," Kallista commented.

"If you want I can sleep on the floor," Gabriel suggested. Kallista sat up suddenly, crossing her legs and frowned at the man.

"What?" he asked confused as he took off his beanie and leather jacket.

"Look I know you have your manners and all, but we've fooled around more than once. I'm not a blushing virgin Reyes," Kallista commented.

"You're right, we are adults but I also respect you, so I asked," Gabriel replied nonchalantly.

"C'mon Reyes now you're making this awkward," Kallista sighed as the man chuckled.

"And besides...I'm sure it would be inappropriate being seen coming from the commander's office or room at 4 AM, wouldn't that break all sorts of protocols and policies?" Kallista asked.

"Just as appropriate as Natalie leaving Jack's room at 5 am...," Gabriel shrugged. Kallista's eyes lit up at the mention of the two. She had always had her sneaking suspicions but of course, never said anything. No one in Blackwatch that she knew spoke about it so why should she?

"So...they really are a "thing"?" Kallista asked.

"A secret thing," Gabriel emphasized secret with air quotations, Kallista smirked as she shook her head.

"He's really bad about hiding it...so is Natalie...but at least she tries," she commented.

"He's always been pretty bad about that," Gabriel sighed.

"So that clears up that suspicion I had...just didn't want to say anything before I knew," Kallista smirked.

"Well...the cat's outta the bag," Gabriel replied as he untied his boots. Kallista snickered as stood to stretch.

"You ok sleeping in the same bed?"

"Look I'm not gonna make you sleep on the floor, what do I look like not giving my elders or superiors the bed," Kallista shrugged and sighed.

"Elders?" Gabriel chuckled as he turned to look at the woman.

"Don't even start--," Kallista huffed.

"And you happened to oversleep each of those times," Gabriel replied

"You didn't have to bring that up," Kallista scoffed.

"Whenever you give me a run for my money, that's when I'll let you call me old," Gabriel said smugly as he stood.

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah," Kallista replied as she pulled back the blankets

Kallista rolled her eyes at the man's smug expression, she knew that he was just giving her a hard time about everything. In the back of her mind, she kept reminding herself that nothing was going to come of this, this was temporary, a distraction from all of the stress or work and the occasional sleepless nights. Flings were not unusual to her, but sleeping in the same bed with that same person was new. She wondered if he even cared or even thought about it.

"I hope you're not one of those people that hogs all the blankets,"Gabriel quipped as he got into the bed.

"It's not like you need them you're a walking heater, do you snore? I hope you don't for your sake," Kallista bit back as she too slid into the bed. Gabriel chuckled at her quick and witty response.

"I don't snore so relax. Let me know if you need any meds for your migraine," Gabriel said.

"Ok,"

There was another pause between the two before Kallista spoke.

"Hey, Reyes?" Kallista started.

"Hm?"

"Goodnight," Kallista replied.

"Goodnight...Kallista,"

* * *

When morning came, they had completely changed their sleeping positions, Gabriel was on his back with Kallista draped over his chest, an arm on the small of her back.

_[ Gooooood Morning]_

Magnus' voice came through their cell phones causing Kallista to jump awake startling awake the man as well. They both jolted up looking around for intruders only to find themselves alone in the hotel room. Gabriel sighed heavily as he fell back into his pillow, Kallista had slid to the edge of the bed running her hands through her hair and sighed in relief.

"Jesus fucking christ Magnus," Gabriel growled.

_[Sorry Boss. I thought you would have been up by now...you slept a little later than usual]_

"You almost gave me a heart attack Magnus," Kallista sighed heavily.

_[My bad...I hope you slept well, though? I have good news if that helps?]_

"Next time, how about you send some type of warning..." Gabriel growled as he moved to sit on the opposite edge of the bed.

_[I said I'm sorry, don't bite my head off and besides I wanted to let you know that that leads the Kallista sent back are giving us some promising results and might get you back faster than expected. We were able to hack a terminal of Bulgasari we're waiting on your signal]_

"And the leads on Cassius?" Gabriel asked.

_[ We're already looking into them, Malik and Aleks is working on their money trail along with his business partners.]_

"Ok that's a start," Kallista commented and yawned.

[ _I've already uploaded the best position for you to upload the code-]_

_[ Hey, Gabi can you bring me back some Korean snacks? I hear they're really good]_

"Ramos now is not the time," Gabriel said as he stood.

_[C'mon just one bag of those fish chips or something]_

"Ramos," Kallista noted the man's tone as he too yawned after. A low rumble in his chest, his voice was thick with sleep. Kallista ran a hand through her hair and down the back of her neck, nervously.

_[It sounds like you two had a long night…Kallista]_

"Malik I'm going to break your cane when I get back to base," Kallista warned Malik as she grabbed her cell phone.

_[That's rude Kalli and totally not lady like...]_

" _No me importa. besa mi culo,_ " Kallista hissed.

_[Bend over and let me see that cute ass of yours. I will gladly kiss it if Gabi refuses it]_

"Excuse me-!" Kallista started.

"Ramos cut it out. All of you shut up, it's too early for this," Gabriel sighed.

_[oh? So you guys **did** have a long night]_

"Magnus, Ramos. Get your asses to work," Gabriel growled.

_[ Fish chips!]_

_[Fine. We do want souvenirs though, Hey Kalli make sure you hook us up!]_

As quickly as it started the connection to their cell phones were cut leaving the two alone with each other again. Gabriel sighed heavily followed by a yawn, Kallista sat on the edge of the bed as she pulled her hair into a messy bun. Gabriel grumbled as he rose from the bed and stretched, his bones cracked as he rolled his shoulders and reached for his cell phone.

 

"This is going to be a long day," Kallista yawned

"Coffee, do you want any?" Gabriel asked as he stretched again followed by a yawn.

"Rise and Shine Commander Reyes" Kallista replied.

"I'm working on it," 

"Yes, I would like a cup or three or six," Kallista said smugly.

"Caffeine in small doses Kallista," Gabriel chided the woman.

"...yeah ok but six cups please," Kallista replied sarcastically as she grabbed the small keyboard from her bag.

Gabriel sighed at the woman's antics as he focused on the coffee that was provided in the hotel room, the coffee looked good from what he could tell, everything was in Korean, it looked simple enough. Once the coffee began to brew he noticed the messages and emails he received from Morrison, Hayden, Magnus, and others from the R&D department. He quickly skimmed over the messages from Morrison judging if he needed to respond to them right away and looked at the message from Magnus last.

{Magnus: Soo...Big Boss Reyes...about Kallista…}

{Reyes: What do you want Magnus?}

{Magnus: :( Ouch. I'm sorry about cutting in like that I assumed that you were already awake or something...I just wanted to talk to you about Kallista...the others think that she would be a good fit}

{Reyes:...the Director's position….}

{Magnus: Don't tell me you forgot about it...Morrison has been pushing it...or at least someone is pushing it for him?}

{Reyes: It wasn't on my radar at the moment. Did you forget where I am right now?}

{Magnus: No but...but Kallista **is** on your radar}

{Reyes: …How much do you want to keep your job?}

{Magnus: Yikes! Went for one of the most important things. Ok, I'm kidding, ok? I Maybe...but consider it...yeah She's perfect. You and I both know this.}

Gabriel glanced away from his cell phone and focused on the woman enthralled in the holographic screens around her. During a previous mission, Blackwatch had suffered extreme casualties within the Intelligence Department and had yet to fully recover. One thing that the department lacked was leadership and not just from him or Lyudmila, leadership from within the department itself.

He knew that Malik was not a suitable candidate, he was too reckless and he had his own personal problems that sometimes lead him to think if Malik was suitable on the field. Gabriel still continued to take his chances with the man, he was a valuable asset to the team not just for his hacking and cryptography skills but also his connection to Talon. Still not suitable.

Recently three Overwatch agents were transferred to the Blackwatch Intel department. Aleksander Marchenko, Magnus Bondevik, and Linda Grant were most definitely willing and able but he hesitated to make any of them the new Director.

{Reyes: I'll think about it.}

{Magnus: Oh c'mon she's been here for three years now. She knows her shit, she's hot, and you know she has the skills to do it.}

{Reyes: Thanks for your great description of her Mags I said I'll think about it}

{Magnus: ...oh...I know you will :) }

Gabriel sighed heavily as he shoved his cell phone into his back pocket. He knew that Magnus wasn't wrong about Kallista. She was more than capable, she clearly showed signs of leadership while on this recon mission, she was smart, her skills were the best, probably better than what he could discern at the moment, she would be the best fit out of everyone in the department currently.

She was damn good at what she did.

"Hey Aleks, I correlated names to Cassius' business ventures, I have a strong suspicion that these people are connected to Cassius. I was able to access some of their business proposals documents...some of them look suspicious, but there are some that look promising" Kallista began.

"I already pulled up information on them...these people have been really busy...but then again I'm not too surprised,"

Gabriel looked at the woman smirking as her fingers glided across the brightly lit keyboard, a smirk on her lips. She was one of the most wanted people in the world and yet she hid almost in plain sight from everyone, what would they, the world, and the higher-ups of Overwatch think if this said woman became the director of what she tried to hack into before they caught her?

Only one way to find out. He took out his cell phone and began to send a message to his Second in Command.

{Reyes: Lyuda, the director's position for the intel dept.}

{L. Dontsova: What about it?}

{Reyes: Kallista?}

{L. Dontsova: Why I thought you would never ask Reyes. I hope you caught my sarcasm in that. }

{Reyes: Clearly.}

{L. Dontsova: Of course, she is the most capable, reliable, versatile, agent we have in the Intel dept. She clearly has the skills to do whatever you ask her to do.}

{Reyes: Lay it on heavy why don't you?}

{L. Dontsova: Only the truth Reyes. I agree with everyone else in the Intel Dept.}

{Reyes: Figures.}

{L. Dontsova: You don't sound too happy Reyes…}

{Reyes: I'm fine. She's good at what she does... I think she'll be a good fit}

{L. Dontsova: I am glad that we agree on this. I know that Malik might have some mixed feelings about this due to his seniority and his skill}

{Reyes: He'll have to get over it. He knows he's too reckless}

{L. Dontsova: Agreed. We'll see how the brass likes it}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough translations
> 
> no me importa, besa mi culo - I don't care, kiss my ass.


	8. Adrenaline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kallista is out on the field again providing technical support and a little backup. 
> 
> A sting in Numbani starts off well, but puts cracks in Kallista's shield.

**2063**

* * *

A month had passed since Kallista's recon mission in Seoul with Reyes, and now she and another member of the Intel Department were focused on another project. The following month was a surprise when Reyes called her into his office to talk about an important change within the Intel department.

But she wasn't a stranger to the big change that he spoke of. She knew the department lacked leadership, but it seemed to all work out with the small amount of leadership that Malik gave everyone.

She didn't question it, why should she?

She just needed to do her job and that was it.

In the back of her mind, she was sure that Aleksander would be the one to take the leadership position. He was an all around poster Intel guy, it would only make sense if he was the one to take up the position. She was legitimately surprised when Reyes told her that everyone that he spoke to recommended her for the position.

Three years ago she was one of the most wanted hackers in the world, placed in a den of wolves, being watched from every corner, under suspicion and more, and yet she was being handed power, a key into an organization she and others sought to expose.

Impulsively she said yes. Which started a chain reaction within the department, office change, room change, title change, mission execution meetings, mission debriefs, It almost gave her whiplash, it mostly exhausted her.

It took her a month to get acquainted with everything including the perks of her new office and new room, new responsibilities, less time on the field and more behind the scenes. She didn't mind not being on the field due to the amount of work and how involved she was with mission planning.

There was no time to whine, there was work to do.

Now she and Aleks were focused on gaining remote access to a company server needed to further their progress for a possible raid in India. Leaning on the man's shoulder she stared intensely at his holographic screen.

"The code changes within two seconds, I'm only able to capture half of it before it changes," Aleks said as he looked up at the woman.

"I can see a pattern it's there for a split second. You're focusing on one part of it when you should be able to capture it all at once," Kallista started.

"I see it too, but it's not matching," Aleks replied, his Russian accent thick.

"It's there. There's more than one pattern though...we can do this a less conventional way…" Kallista trailed off.

"Less conventional you say?" Aleks questioned.

"...she means hacking it her way, probably breaking something in the process," Malik chimed in.

"I don't break...I modify and besides, I'm talking tricking the system into giving us the code instead of us trying to take it. It might take a little bit of time to do it, but with this system, I know it can be done," Kallista replied.

"Sounds good to me," Malik shrugged,

"Ok, Malik?" Kallista asked as she pulled out her cellphone from her back pocket.

"Sure and I'm already uploading the new code to you, Aleks," Malik said as he leaned back in "Moving fast are we, Ramos?" Aleks said as he focused back on his screen.

"What can I say? I do that sometimes," Malik said as he too pulled out his cell phone

"Make sure you copy everything. Who created this system will probably have a firewall similar to this… Malik if you want to work with Aleks on it to break it that's fine. We need this info asap," Kallista commented as she glanced at her cellphone. It was a group message that included herself and two others.

_{Reyes: Meet in conference room A4 in 10}_

Kallista glanced at Malik who turned his attention to her, Kallista nodded. Malik lowered his legs from his desk and began to work seriously.

"Aleks I'm handing this over to you," Kallista said as she moved over to the silent woman in the room.

"Linda, how are those reports coming?" Kallista asked.

"I have everything almost pulled together for the meeting," Linda said as she furiously typed on her keyboard. Kallista pulled a pink holographic screen from the woman's main screen, reports of a Numbani club and reports populated onto the screen.

"Hm...a nightclub," Kallista murmured.

* * *

 "We got a report from the South Korean government notifying us about the decreased activity of the resistance group that was being investigated last month or so," Morrison said as he walked down the hall.

"You don't say?" Gabriel said sarcastically.

"C'mon I don't need your sarcasm too Gabe," Morrison sighed.

"We do our job efficiently, what can we say, just a little praise to my team would be great," Gabriel shrugged as he walked with the man.

"You want gold stars and cookies to congratulate your team?" Morrison replied.

"How about some vacation?" Gabriel suggested.

"Maybe...after the final reports come in from South Korea and Austria," Morrison replied.

"Of course...should be any year now right?"

"Your sarcasm is at a new high Gabe,"

Gabriel shrugged as he chuckled, Morrison chuckled with the man shaking his head as they made their way to one of the conference rooms near Morrison's office.

"How is everything going? There's been a lot of movement within Blackwatch...you got new recruits…a new Intel director… ," Morrison started a smirk forming on his lips.

"Lyudmila is training the new recruits...as for my Intel director...she fits like a puzzle piece in the right spot," Gabriel replied.

"Is that so?" Morrison tried to hide the smirk on his face.

"You've seen the reports, her work speaks for itself for once I don't have anything witty to say," Gabriel said as he stopped at a conference room door.

"Riiiight. I'll let you slide this time Gabe," Morrison sighed.

"You need to work on your baiting more Morrison it's appalling. But since you want to play, please tell me about you and Nat. That sounds more interesting than you telling me what I already know," Gabriel said and smirked.

Morrison's cheeks flushed a bit as he rolled his eyes at the man. Apparently, it wasn't as much of a secret as they thought it was, Gabriel knew about them and so did a few others even though they tried to hide it. He was terrible at hiding it like Kallista said and Natalie, she just danced around it.

"I can read you like a book Morrison. Get your shit together," Gabriel said as he opened the door to the conference room leaving the man by himself.

* * *

Several hours later Kallista found herself in an Overwatch vehicle parked in a dark alleyway several feet from the target location, one of Numbani's popular nightclubs. A sting operation was slowly unfolded as Kallista provided quick and easy technical support on site. The plan had been carefully crafted over the past weeks but the execution was hastily pushed forward and now Kallista was out on the field.

[I _have control of their security system. All entrances have been unlocked and alarms have been disabled. Moving to standby.]_

Kallista's voice echoed softly through the raid team's earpieces as they stuck around the conveniently darkened alleyways of the nightclub. Gabriel grunted in response as he began directing his crew silently.

_[ An EMP would disrupt the entire building including the Omnics that are in the lower levels…and probably a few buildings near by]_

"Wait for Klein's and Hay-B's signal" Gabriel whispered.

_[Ok..]_

"Positions," Gabriel whispered.

_{Sure thing sugar...is it warm in here or is it because yer the hot one here}_

Jesse's voice echoed through the team's earpieces causing a few of the agents to shake their heads in disappointment at the man's terrible flirting tactics.

"Someone needs to teach him how to flirt,"

"Tell me about it I feel like I'm getting heartburn,"

"Jensen, Rhett, shut up," Gabriel growled.

"Just saying," Kyle murmured.

"He has a point, Lobo…" Rhett commented.

The sting operation had been crafted to stop an illegal human and Omnic trafficking ring that had elaborately set itself up in the seedy underground chambers and tunnels of this nightclub. Take down the owner of the nightclub and the clientele would follow, the victims freed and offered anything they needed to start anew. Numbani was known to be the only place in the world where Omnics and Humans lived in harmony, and almost without any issues. Kallista used her outside sources and Overwatch to dig deep into the underbelly of Numbani to find the signs, resources that pointed to this specific nightclub and had discovered that the owner was connected to one of Cassius business partners. 

The team was split into three, Jesse being the one to inconspicuously infiltrate the club, while Hayden and Agent Klein slipped through their security to remove the humans and omnics before Kallista sent an EMP though the building. During the chaos, Gabriel and the other agents would move in and take control of the situation. Jesse grinned from ear to ear when Gabriel begrudgingly picked him for the mission. The only reason he was allowed to infiltrate because he fit the part of being a 'local'.

[[Do ya normally have Omnics in here? Aren't the ladies scared? Aww no no no c'mere ladies]]

_[Someone needs to teach him something...because those are terrible…my ears are bleeding]_

"Agreed Kaines, maybe you should teach him your ways, Lobo,"

"Jensen…" Gabriel growled in warning.

"Just saying..." Jensen replied.

_[ Jensen is right. If you care about your dysfunctional child teach him your ways]_

_[Lobo this is Hay-B...the cat is out of the bag]_

"Do it,"

_[ Unleashing small environment Electromagnetic pulse in three...two...one]_

Within seconds a muted energy burst was heard through the building, knocking out all electricity surrounding the building causing the building to shut down, draping the team further in darkness, further coating the team in the shadows. Smoke billowed from the nightclub as screams and glass shattering echoed from the building as the team moved in quickly taking control before it was lost in the smoke. Kallista chuckled as she sat tucked away in the Hummer like vehicle Gabriel had driven to the meeting point, the windows were tinted hiding the glow of the holographic screens floating around her, she had watched everything from Hayden and Klein escape with the victims and from with Gabriel's team moved in to take control of the situation as Numbani's local authorities moved in.

[ Lobo! You got a runner!]

[ How the hell did you let him slip out go fucking get him!]

[ Jesus fucking christ]

[Kaines! Catch him! He's coming your way!]

"Are you kidding me?" Kallista whined as she tossed her keyboard to the seat next to her, opened the door to see a man run past her, narrowly dodging the car door she had just kicked open.

"Holy fuck! You could have told me he was this close to me!" Kallista shouted as she took after the man.

[ You better catch him or else Kaines or Lobo is gonna be real mad at you]

[She got this, right Kalli? Give em a run for their money]

"Thanks for your confidence in my ability to run Ziva! Jensen now isn't the time!" Kallista panted as she ran after the man.

[Hey. I thought I was helping...at least a little bit, hahah]

[ On the contrary Kaines. You did say you have a nice ass from running...so show us what you're made of girl]

"Excuse me! Rhett!" Kallista panted as she continued to run, ignoring the chuckles of the other agents.

_[ Director Kaines I have that information you requested.]_

"Now is not the time Linda!" Kallista shouted as she barely dodged from getting hit by a car. The man was still several feet in front of her and surprisingly avoiding traffic better than she was.

_[O-Oh M-my apologies D-Director Kaines!]_

_[ Can't you see that she's chasing after someone Linda? Jesus Christ woman your timing is terrible]_

"Ok how about...you assholes give me a little help? Bloody fucking hell!" Kallista shouted

_[I thought English women were supposed to be kind ?]_

"Listen here you little twat-!" Kallista shouted.

_[ Woah-ho! The kitten has claws-!]_

_[Director Kaines I have access to the street lights I can-]_

"Aleks! Just do it!"

The lights ahead of the man were once red and now they were green as the man started to run across the street only to be hit by a car, his body was thrown a few into the next street, the car that hit the man stopped and the person in the driver's seat quickly got out of their car to help the man. Kallista cursed under her breath as she pushed herself harder to catch up, she slid over a car top to see the man limping away into the backstreets of Numbani.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Kallista panted as she followed the man into the back streets.

_[ Kaines what's your position?]_

It was Gabriel's voice that came through her earpiece this time, she kept her focus trained on the man as she slowly approached him, his leg was broken, she could see the blood that had seeped through his suit pant leg, he was in bad shape but the adrenaline still pumped through his system and pushed him to continue. 

[ _I got a lock on her location Lobo...sending you coordinates]_

"We're also going to need a medic…" Kallista commented as she continued to approach the man, he hobbled away from her.

"You should probably have a seat...it looks like you've broken something there," Kallista said sarcastically.

"Nice eyesight girl. A real professional," the man scoffed as he faced her, balancing on one leg.

"You think so? I wasn't even trying," Kallista replied.

"A newbie? Don't you know not to hurt suspects?" the man panted. Kallista's eyes narrowed at the man, he had a hard time breathing, obviously, his body was in pain, his skin flushed, where he stood there was a small puddle beneath his boot.

"You're the only one who considers yourself a suspect...we just wanna know why are you running," Kallista cautiously replied as she kept an eye on the man's condition, he wasn't going to last much longer. 

"Real cheeky girl. Call off your friends?" The man ordered.

"Or what? You're surrounded,"

"Who said anything about shooting you? "the man said as he pointed the gun at his head, Kallista narrowed her eyes at the man.

"Come any closer and I'll shoot,"

Kallista froze where she stood, indeed the man was important, he was the owner of the nightclub and was needed alive he had too many connections to two of Cassius Park's business partners, Sterling Black and his partner Carmelo Mendoza. Carefully, Kallista stepped back, her hands raised to show that she had no intention of attack.  

" _Stay calm Kallista...don't do anything too sudden to be shot...you're at a disadvantage...they'll be here any minute now…improvise….you're good at doing that,"_ Kallista thought as she kept her eyes focused on the man.

She knew that they needed the information from this man, that was one of the main reasons for the raid on the nightclub, but to be put in this situation so suddenly threw her off guard. She had never been in a situation like this where the suspect was threatening to kill themselves, let alone she had never been in a situation like this at all, she was still a civilian at heart. With an abundance of adrenaline pumped in her system, the dull throb in the back of her head began to pulse.

A migraine or something else, her vision darkened slightly.

"I'm not gonna hurt you...but your leg looks really bad," Kallista winced.

"I got hit by a fucking car what else do you expect?! Call off your friends otherwise, I'll blow my own brains out!" the man snarled.

"Your loyalty is more important than your life?! Are you daft mate?!" Kallista shouted.

" I don't have much to live for...I'm a dead man after this anyways…" the man replied half-heartedly.

"What-?" Kallista began when suddenly a gunshot rang through the alley, an abrupt shout, and the clanging of a gun falling to the ground echoed in the alleyway.

" _Kallista!"_

Jesse and Gabriel's voice called out to her as Hayden and another agent restrained the man, Everything happened so quickly, the man being restrained and carried off into a black van.

"You ok?" Gabriel asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine...just a little too close," Kallista replied.

"My bad!" Jesse called from the large vehicle.

"Let's go," Gabriel said as he moved towards the vehicle, Kallista followed him and got into the backseat dazed, unable to fully process what had happened and 

Everything had happened so quickly, the man being restrained and taken away, her being ushered back into the Hummer and carted towards the pickup point. Faintly Kallista could hear Gabriel on a phone call with Morrison and who she thought to be the Numbani mayor. Jesse sat quietly in the seat in front of her, occasionally he would look into the rearview mirror at her.

"Sorry bout that Kalli didn' mean to shoot so close to ya. Is your hearing ok?" Jesse asked as he looked behind the seat at her.

"..."

"Kalli?"

Nothing.

"Hey Top Cat…" Jesse used a nickname that he knew she didn't care for but used it to see if he could get a reaction out of her and got nothing in return.

Kallista sat silently looking down at her hands, oblivious to the man looking back at her. Jesse could see that the woman was shaken and looked to be deep in thought. He noticed her shaking hands and remembered she was a civilian at one point and had never been in these types of situations, of course, she would be shaken. Hell, he remembered his first shot and first kill so many years ago. Jesse took one more look at Kallista before turning around in his seat, sighing.

"What's wrong?" Gabriel asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

"Nothin' just tired," Jesse replied and shifted in his seat.


	9. Rumors & Investigations

**Mid 2063**

* * *

After a few weeks the Numbani mission, Jesse found himself in Gabriel's office wanting to satisfy his curiosity about their Intel director.

"Hey, Reyes...I got a question for ya," Jesse started as he plopped down on the sofa in Reyes' office.

"Shouldn't you be preparing to leave?" Gabriel asked as he focused on the document in front of him. Jesse crossed a leg over the other as he stretched out on the sofa and noticed how the man didn't fully acknowledge him.

"Yeah, but I got a question...it's about Kalli," Jesse started smugly. Gabriel stopped looking at the document and turned his attention to the man adjacent to his desk.

"That got yer attention," Jesse smirked.

"Sometimes yer so easy to read Reyes," Jesse chuckled as he scratched his facial hair as he looked at the man. Gabriel rolled his eyes at the younger man, he knew that he was baiting him and wanted to see where it was going to go.

"You wish. I was waiting for you to get to the point. You know Lyuda will have your ass if you're a second late. So what about her?" Gabriel asked.

"Yeah yeah yeah. Don't worry 'bout that. Do ya know if Kalli ever shot a gun?" Jesse asked.

"I assume she has, why?" Gabriel asked as he began typing shifting his attention back to the document.

"Are ya sure?" Jesse asked.

"Why?" Gabriel stopped typing and turned his attention back to the man. He never thought about if the woman ever shot a gun or have been in a gunfight, most of the woman's training came from the basics program he recommended her for years ago, he assumed that she used a gun while training. The fact that Jesse was bringing it up made him second guess her training.

"Jus curious is all," Jesse said as he stood up and headed towards the door.

"I'll see ya when I get back,"

Silently, Gabriel watched as the man exit from his office, sighing heavily as he went back to work not paying attention the man's question but the thought of Kallista's training was on his mind now.

* * *

"So...Kalli...I heard through the grapevine about something that involves you and a certain commander that we all know so well," Magnus started as he peeked over his monitor at the woman sitting across from him.

"I assume you're talking about Lyuda?" Kallista responded as she remained focused on her datapad and sipped her coffee.

"No...but if you're banging her too please enlighten us. She has legs for days and a nice ass," Magnus started.

"Magnus no. Don't-" Aleks started.

"Aw c'mon on Aleks baby we just wanna know if it's true," Magnus smirked.

"Do not call me that," Aleks said firmly, Magnus snickered at the man's flustered response.

"Why are you asking all of a sudden. Who's spreading rumors?" Kallista asked as she looked up from her datapad, her curiosity piqued.

"We just wanna know if you and Reyes are sleeping together," Magnus smirked.

"Don't include me in this," Linda scoffed.

"Oh please, we all wanna know. Don't act all innocent now Linda," Magnus said before turning his attention back to Kallista.

"You all really think that we're fucking?" Kallista asked as she leaned coyly onto the desk as she looked directly at Magnus, his baby blue eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"I dunno...are you fucking the Commander of Blackwatch?" Magnus asked, his voice lower as he stared.

Aleks and Linda looked between the two as they listened intensely, waiting for an answer. Malik leaned back in his chair a smug expression on his face.

"No. We aren't, I cannot believe you all," Kallista laughed.

"Don't give me that proper English accent," Magnus huffed,

"Don't be fooled Mags… you can smell her on him," Malik replied.

"Oh?!" Magnus shouted and laughed.

"You got your scent all over him? Damn Kalli," Magnus laughed.

"What?! No. Cut the nonsense," Kallista said as she waved the accusations off.

"What does she smell like?" Linda whispered to Aleks.

"Uh…" Aleks started.

"Mint and Rose, little bits of cinnamon with occasional hints of amber and cedar, ...the amber is similar to Gabi and the cedar is a giveaway," Malik replied.

"Ok Malik, that is kinda creepy on several different levels," Kallista replied as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs.

"He's got you all figured out Kallista," Magnus chuckled.

"He wishes," Kallista scoffed as she picked up her datapad again

Malik smirked as he shrugged in his chair, he winced slightly as he shifted in his chair and massaged his knee joints.

"I could try if you want?" Malik suggested as he shifted.

"Malik, that's enough… I don't think we need to pry into the Director and Commander's personal life… even if they are banging," Aleks said cutting off Malik.

"You mean fucking," Malik corrected.

"Malik," Kallista warned.

"Just making sure he got the wording correct. Ana taught me that using the right words is important for people to understand you," Malik shrugged.

"How about all of you get back to work, yeah? " Kallista suggested.

"Mmmhmm...no one is going to question you or him...well...maybe," Malik continued as they spun around in their chair.

"Well. We aren't sleeping together," Kallista replied as she placed her hands behind her head and reclined in her chair again.

"Then, friends with benefits," Aleks spoke up.

"I thought you weren't interested Aleks," Kallista commented as she looked at the man. Aleks looked back down at his monitor.

"I can be curious can't I?"

"No," Kallista replied.

"C'mon Kalli you're not fooling us...we can feel the sexual tension in the room when you two are together," Malik sighed heavily.

"There's no sexual tension between us. So knock it off," Kallista replied.

"He's right though...the way he looks at you," Magnus spoke up.

"How about all of you focus on your work because we have deadlines," Kallista sighed.

"She's in denial…" Magnus whispered.

"I heard that, " Kallista glared as she picked up her datapad.

"Friends with benefits, ala fuck buddy," Malik chuckled.

"I'm sure you have plenty Malik," Kallista commented.

"Heheh…" Malik chuckled.

"Ok everyone, focus,"

* * *

It was around midnight when Kallista pushed open the door to Gabriel's office with her hip, Gabriel glanced up briefly from his cell phone as the woman came in. Putting his cell phone away he turned his attention to the woman.

"I got your text. I'm having Aleks look for where the source of the corruption...in the meantime...here are all of the printouts linked to your investigation," Kallista said as she placed four separate piles of paper on his desk.

"That's more than I thought it would be," Gabriel commented as he eyed the stacks of papers.

"There were some reports from the Overwatch Division that linked with this investigation. I thought you would have wanted these as well," Kallista sighed as she took off her dark green bomber jacket.

"I'm surprised you were able to get them so quickly I thought it would have taken a little bit more of time," Gabriel commented as his attention went to the information streaming on of his holographic screens.

"Well being the Director of the Blackwatch Intelligence department has its perks besides a corner bedroom with a window and a shower," Kallista commented

"That you are correct," Gabriel chuckled as he stood.

Gabriel took off his glasses before he ran a hand over his face and through his short hair. The investigation that he was tasked to conduct took much longer than he wanted it to, not to mention the files he needed became suddenly corrupted. It was too convenient but he was thankful that Kallista and her team moved in quickly to help him, much faster than he was used to, he welcomed the change. Gabriel sighed softly as he looked up from the stacks of paper and to the woman stretching, his eyes flicked to her midriff peeking from underneath her cropped top.

"Like what you see _Reyes_?" Kallista chuckled.

"You're not half bad," Gabriel quipped as he sat on the edge of his desk.

"Oh thanks," Kallista replied sarcastically as she pulled her hair into a messy bun before she went over to the man's desk and grabbed a stack of paper. He caught a quick glance of the tattoo on the back of her neck, it looks similar to a sugar skull but in the shape of a cat.

"You're welcome," Gabriel chuckled as his eyes met hers.

There was a silent pause between the two before Kallista stepped back and moved over to the dark colored sofa adjacent to his desk. Gabriel chuckled slightly as he slid his glasses back on and looked towards the woman who had already made herself comfortable on the sofa.

"Thanks for bringing the reports over...you plan on staying?" Gabriel questioned.

"Of course, I already figured out what you were investigating, and two eyes are better than one, " Kallista said as she placed her heeled boots neatly at the end of the sofa before crossing her legs.

"Oh? What do I owe you?" Gabriel asked as he crossed his arms.

"What? Nothing. I mean you already let me have a coffee maker in my room so..." Kallista trailed off.

"I told you to get rid of that thing," Gabriel scoffed.

"No way. I bought it and it stays with me," Kallista declared. Gabriel stared, almost glared at her insistence on keeping the coffee maker in her room. No one was allowed to keep any electronics as such in their rooms, and yet she squandered away a coffee maker in her room, against policies and regulations.

"How about we don't worry about my coffee maker and let's focus your investigation?" Kallista suggested.

"Get rid of it or I'll do it for you," Gabriel warned.

"You wouldn't," Kallista perked up.

"I would," Gabriel replied.

"...I'll keep that in consideration...but back to your investigation...I know that you're busy, stressed and it seems like you don't have enough time to _de-stress_. So this one is on the house," Kallista said as she leaned on her knees with her elbows.

"Right…" Gabriel sighed.

"Besides I have a lot of caffeine in my system and stamina...I hope you do too...Reyes," Another smirk tugged at her lips as she looked at the man.

"I think you need to work on yours a little bit before you start to throw shade Kallista," Gabriel replied nonchalantly as he pushed himself from this desk and moved over to his desk chair.

"Woah…low blow Reyes," Kallista sighed as the man chuckled as he glanced at her.

"Had to knock you down a few pegs," Gabriel chuckled.

" _Pendejo_ ," Kallista murmured.

"What was that?" Gabriel asked as he sat back down.

"Nothing," Kallista mumbled as she focused on the document in front of her.

* * *

"9:20 AM an' he totally missed the training, " Jesse said as he made his way to Gabriel's office.

He knew it wasn't like Gabriel to miss training without proper notice, he was punctual, very scheduled. Everything ran like clockwork with the man, so why would he miss something like this? Usually, the man would already be waiting for the group in the training hall for their morning run and for him to be missing, there was something going on. Especially if Kallista was missing too. He had his suspicions about the two early on, but for Gabriel to act so quickly wasn't like him. Not even bothering to knock on the door, Jesse barged into the man's office.

_Reyes did say he had an open door policy._

"Hey, Reyes you ok in here? Have ya' seen Kalli-" Jesse started as he practically stumbled over the shoes by the door.

"What-oh..." Jesse trailed off as he saw the man and woman on the small sofa, asleep.

Slowly he looked around the office seeing if anything was out of place, he knew the man's office by heart and seeing how Reyes was a very organized man.

Heeled boots, two tumblers, a bottle of tequila and two bodies stretched out on the leather sofa. A huge grin spread across Jesse's face as he looked at the two and moved silently in the office. He glanced at the papers and datapads neatly placed on the man's desk and a pile with red 'X's on them in the chair in front of the desk.

He turned his attention back to the two on the sofa, Gabriel was stretched out on the sofa, one leg hanging off and the other stretched out, while Kallista laid snugly between his legs, her head on his chest. Gabriel's hoodie covered the both of them but Jesse could clearly see Gabriel's arm around her waist. Kallista had one hand to her chest and the other wrapped around the man.

_Was that a hand in her hair? Was his arm was a little bit too tight around her waist?_

"This...is perfect. This is too perfect," Jesse chuckled as he took out his cell phone. There was a soft grunt from the man sleeping on the sofa as Jesse took pictures of the two.

"Jesse...you're too...loud," Kallista murmured sleepily.

"Jesse...stop fucking barging into my office," Gabriel growled, his voice thick with sleep.

The man didn't even turn to look at Jesse. Kallista's eyes fluttered open briefly and closed a moment later as Gabriel shifted, clearly not wanting to move. Kallista sighed as she attempted to bury her face in his chest. Gabriel sighed softly and tightened his grasp around her, his fingers slipping through her hair

"Mmm...what time is it?" Kallista murmured.

"9:30 AM," Jesse replied a huge grin on his face.

"Too early...can I skip this meeting- " Kallista groaned.

" _Hacer lo que quieras, guapa_ ," Gabriel replied, his voice thick with sleep.

" _Mmm...en serio? Me puedo quedar aquí?_ " Kallista murmured as her eyes slowly fluttered open.

" _Si gatita_ " the man replied sleepily. Kallista's icy blue orbs focused on the man standing in front of her, Jesse had to stifle his laughter as he saw the realization in her eyes as she looked at him.

"Jesse?!" Kallista quickly shot up. Jesse slyly put away his cell phone, the grin still on his face.

"McCree get out," Gabriel said from the sofa, eyes still closed

"Hahaha No way, this is too good," Jesse chuckled.

"I swear to god Jesse," Kallista warned. Jesse held up his hands innocently causing the woman to huff as she quickly put on her shoes and grabbed her hoodie.

"It's too early to deal with you. I got a meeting to do," Kallista said as she promptly exited Gabriel's office. Jesse watched the woman leave and turned back to the man lounging on the sofa.

"So….you and Kallista hm? It ain't much of a rumor anymore," Jesse teased.

"No," Gabriel said

"Mmmhm...yer sure Gabe? Y'all looked **awfully cute** cuddly together...runnin' yer hand through her hair...ya sure did look **mighty** cozy Gabe," Jesse grinned from ear to ear.

"Keep talking Jesse and give me a reason to kick your ass," Gabriel said as he suddenly moved from the sofa.

"Woah Woah Woah now...no need ta get all defensive...I was just askin' but what was all of that about?" Jesse asked.

"A late investigation review. Files I needed were corrupted we reviewed the paper versions of what I needed," Gabriel replied and yawned.

"What was it about?" Jesse asked curiously.

"Talon," Gabriel replied.

"Oh...sumthin big then...it did seem like ya had a really long night...a long night with _gatita_..." Jesse commented coyly as he looked around again. Gabriel frowned at the man as he reached down picking up his hoodie.

"Prying is not like you Jesse...watch yourself," Gabriel commented.

"I'm jus a little curious is all...Can't I be?" Jesse asked.

"No," Gabriel replied.

"An' why not?" Jesse asked.

"Because I said so," Gabriel growled.

"Fine. I get it. Ya know ya missed our trainin' right?" Jesse said as he crossed his arms. Gabriel looked at the man slightly confused, he looked at the clock on his desk and sighed.

"An I come lookin' for ya and yer in here with Kalli...another person that was missing from trainin'," Jesse started a grin on his lips.

"Consider everyone to be lucky today," Gabriel replied as he ran a hand through his hair, ignoring the man's accusation.

"Sounds good to me...but you an' Kallista though…" Jesse whistled as he headed towards the door. Gabriel growled in annoyance at the young man's comment, he tossed his hoodie on to his desk before he turned his attention to the new messages on his screen.

"Get out,"

"Ya'll make a mighty fine couple ya even got a cute little nickname for her too... _gatita,_ " Jesse chuckled as he exited the man's office. 

Later that day Jesse checked his phone to find it completely wiped, only messages from Kallista remained. Silently he cursed to himself as he begrudgingly looked at the messages the woman sent him.

 _{_ **Kaines** _: Convince me to restore your contacts and your dick pics. You should consider yourself lucky I left your social media accounts intact_. }

"Ah, hell… " Jesse muttered as he read over the message.

"All of those numbers gone...fuck me," Jesse sighed heavily as he ran a hand down his face exasperated

{ **Kaines:** I can play this game better than you cowboy. ;) }

* * *

_[Lobo, perimeter clear for extraction. We are missing Kaines, I don't have a lock on her location]_

"Understood Lockdown. Everyone prepare for evac," Gabriel ordered as he looked at the few Blackwatch agents checking the fallen bodies of humans and omnics around them. He turned his attention towards the doorway where Kallista had run off to siphon information from the building, this was an old base for the Austrian government where Omnium secrets laid buried. It just happened to be that a pro-omnium group had claimed the building for their own uses.

"Kaines, give me your location," Gabriel ordered as he looked around for any signs of her, there were none.

There was silence on the receiving end of Kallista's comm link that worried not only Gabriel but Lyudmila as well. He had made sure that her entry and exit was clear so she wouldn't have to engage in combat to at any point, but her silence began to eat away at him. She wasn't cleared to carry a gun yet, it was still in the works, he hoped that she wasn't ambushed and kicked himself for not having someone go with her to watch her back.

In the back of his mind, he knew that she was a huge liability, but also a huge asset on the field.

[ _It's too quiet...Lobo]_

"I know," Gabriel growled as he quickly followed the path to the supposed control room of the old building. He cautiously traversed the hallway making sure to avoid the old debris and possible traps. His senses were already heightened from the adrenaline that coursed through his system from the previous battle to reclaim this building.

"Kallista..." Gabriel whispered cautiously into his comm as he peeked around a corner before continuing his way towards her.

"Kallista answer me. Where is your location? Are you injured?" Gabriel asked, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't want to think of the worst case scenario, but her silence was fueling the thought of it.

_[Lobo, tengo la localización de Kallista]_

" _Dámelo_...," Gabriel started as he continued to move towards the location on his commlink holographic screen.

Within seconds, he came to a stop in the doorway as he saw the woman frozen in place, a gun in her hands, blood splattered across her face.

Bullet exit wounds from both of their heads, a pool of blood underneath them, cranial matter splatter.

Gabriel slowly moved into the room not wanting to startle the woman, At a glance, he looked at the bodies on the ground as he approached her. Her breathing was labored, eyes glazed over, her form trembled, she didn't acknowledge the man until his hand was on the barrel of the gun slipping it from her trembling hands.

 _[Did'ya find her Lobo?_ ]

"Yeah," Gabriel replied as he looked down at the shaken woman.

[ _Is she injured?]_

Vibrant crimson blood coated her Blackwatch issued vest, face and hair, and yet she was silent as she focused on the dead bodies behind the man.

"Kallista…" Gabriel started softly.

_[All here? We're ready to head out Lobo]_

" _Estas aqui conmigo,_ Kallista?" Gabriel whispered and hope that she would respond to him, hoped that she wouldn't turn the gun on him and hoped that she was snap out of it to move to the evac site.

"S-Si," Kallista replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"Vamonos…" Reyes said as touched her shoulder. He felt the woman flinch, her blue eyes meeting his mahogany orbs.

His normal serious expression softened as he looked down at her, Jesse's question a few days earlier made sense now he was a little irritated that he didn't tell him directly, but now wasn't the time to dwell on the past, he had to get her out of her before her mental state and demeanor shattered while on the field.

"Let's go…" Gabriel said softly as he escorted her pass the bodies, out of the room and towards the evac site. He kept an eye on her during their travel time back to HQ, he was thankful it was a short one as she managed to keep her mental state together. He admitted to himself that he was slightly worried about her when they returned to HQ. He had ordered her to go to the med bay to be checked out by one of the doctors, she left without a word.

He was more than a little worried.

* * *

Gabriel made his way to the Medbay hoping that he could talk to Kallista and the doctor together when he arrived she was nowhere to be found.

"Angela, how is she?" Gabriel asked as he looked around.

"Oh, Commander Reyes...I assume you are referring to Director Kaines. She is mostly fine, she is currently experiencing shock," Angela began as she moved from her desk over to a side terminal.

"I can assume that she has never shot a man before...let alone two," the blond haired woman explained to Gabriel as she continued to review patient files and moved around the room

"I can only assume that too, unfortunately...you cleared her without my knowledge?" Gabriel asked.

"I didn't think I needed to contact you for something of the sort unless you're keeping extra tabs on her Commander Reyes?" the woman questioned the man as she looked up from her datapad. Gabriel crossed his arms as he looked at the young woman, the woman sighed as she placed a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

"Look, I suggested that she get cleaned up and rest in a place that's comforting for her...as for where that is...I am not sure," the woman replied.

"You know...it's not like you to have someone on your team without...what is the right term...experience?" Angela said as she turned towards the man.

"Sometimes it happens...sometimes those people never make it to the field, sometimes those people die on the field...everyone is different," Gabriel replied.

"I assume Director Kaines is one of those special cases?" Angela asked a small grin on her lips.

"Angie," Gabriel warned, he picked up what she was trying to do.

"I'm sorry I could not pass it up...it is too cute," Angela replied as she giggled a bit.

"Thanks for the update Angela..." Reyes said as he headed out of the med bay.

"You're welcome Gabriel," Angela smiled as she turned back to her work.

* * *

 

Jesse leaned on the wall outside of Medbay occupied by his cellphone, the soft _whoosh_ of the door caught his attention. He looked up from his cell phone to see Gabriel exiting the sterile like room, he quickly shoved his cell phone in his pocket and pushed himself from the wall and followed after the man.

"So what's the deal?" Jesse asked. Gabriel glanced at the man briefly before turning his attention back in front of him.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" Gabriel asked.

"Knew 'bout?" Jesse asked.

"The fact that she's never shot a gun before," Gabriel replied as he stopped walking. Jesse stopped a few feet in front of the man and turned to look at him.

"I'm not sure what ya mean Reyes...yer her commanding officer…" Jesse started, Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the man. Jesse sighed and crossed his arms.

"Jesse," Gabriel said firmly.

"I noticed after that stunt in Numbani...she was so pale an' shaken up...it's clear ta me that she hadn't shot a gun or been in a situation like that," Jesse started.

"Of course," Gabriel sighed as he pulled off his signature black beanie, ran a hand through his short hair and down his face.

"Too busy with other things Reyes?" Jesse asked.

There was silence between the two men as they stood in the hallway, letting others pass without a word to them, was he that busy that he missed that detail? Did he forget that she was a civilian, someone that hid behind a computer and out of the way.

"I overlooked that detail...let alone having brain matter splatter over her. She was going to be exposed to it sooner or later," Reyes commented as he slides the beanie back on and began down the hall again.

"Most likely," Jesse began as he followed after the man.

"Ya know...if ya want…" Jesse began.

"No. Natalie will do it," Gabriel replied as he took out his cellphone and began to message someone

"Aw cmon, ya didn't even hear me out," Jesse whined.

"You're not going to teach her," Gabriel said as he continued to focus on his phone.

"Fine be that way, I'm still gonna be a better shot than both of them," Jesse huffed.

"We'll see about that," Gabriel chuckled.

* * *

 Kallista sat quietly in Gabriel's office, her datapad on her lap, her cell phone next to her, her gaze to the floor. No one expected her to be in his office and he seemed to be gone. It was hidden away from all the noise, tucked away in the quiet parts of the Overwatch Division, she needed silence, she needed to be alone. The events that took place hours before replayed over and over again in her head. The ambush on her while collecting data, the struggle, the act of shooting someone while her mind was heavily drugged with copious amounts of adrenaline, her shooting without hesitation shocked her, the shooting itself traumatized her.

Was this one of the effects of the serum?

"Kallista," Gabriel's voice called out to her, caused the woman to jump a bit in her seat.  
"R-Reyes...oh my god…" Kallista sighed in relief at the sight of the man.  
"You decided to hole up in my office...," Gabriel commented as he glanced at the woman's datapad at her feet and then to the woman running her hands nervously through her hair.

"I-I was planning on leaving...I just needed to sit down for a little bit," Kallista replied as she averted her eyes from the man.  
"Take your time," Gabriel said as he moved to the door, locking it.

"I-I won't hold you up from work...I'll go," Kallista said as she suddenly stood almost stepping on her datapad, Gabriel had stopped her just in time before he stepped on it.

"You almost broke your pad," Gabriel said as he picked up the pad, placing it on his desk as he went over to his terminal.  
"Oh….um...about those reports-" Kallista began as she moved towards his desk.  
"The others can handle that," Gabriel said as he pulled the datapad out of her reach as he continued look at his computer terminal.  
"How are you coping," Gabriel asked.  
"People die especially on the battlefield...so...I mean shit like that is normal...right?" Kallista started  
"So is blood splatter," Gabriel added as the holographic screens disappeared from in front of him  
"Y-yeah…C-can I have my datapad?" Kallista asked nervously as her hands started shaking again.

Kallista watched as the man moved to the side of his desk hoping that he didn't see her shaking hands as she shoved them into her khaki bomber jacket. Gabriel smugly looked down at Kallista, studying her from head to toe before he held out the datapad for her to take. Kallista quickly glanced at the man, avoiding his gaze as she reached for the pad only to pulled into his chest, into his embrace.

"You're trembling," he whispered.

"I know…" Kallista mumbled before she buried her head into his chest, attempting to stop herself from crying.

Gently he held on to her, letting her use him as a rock to lean on, something to ground her. He knew that it would take time for her to fully recover. It was one of the few things he could think of to apologize to her, he knew he should have had someone follow after her, but it gave room for her to get her cleared to carry a weapon. Slowly Reyes leaned back to look at the woman, she slowly looked up at him. She turned away from him, hiding the tears that welled in the corner of her eyes.

"How do you cope with this?" Kallista questioned, her voice was soft  
"I've been in the military for a long time...I've grown used to it," Gabriel replied softly. Kallista sighed heavily as she finally looked up at the man, his expression was unreadable but soft, different than his normal stoic or scowl.  
"You have potential Kallista, you wanted to be on the field and now you're there...I can't always keep you behind a screen," Gabriel said softly.  
"I know...I just…" Kallista started and sighed again  
"It's just the pieces of flesh part...it's gross,"  
"Yeah...I know," Gabriel replied as he looked down at her.  
"Hmm...I guess you need to fill out paperwork from the previous mission right?" Kallista asked.  
"That can wait. I want to make sure...you're going to be ok," Gabriel replied.  
"I'm surprised you care so much," Kallista laughed.

"Sometimes, you better take advantage while you can," Gabriel said as he hesitantly let go of her.

"Yeah, yeah yeah," Kallista said as she stepped away from him, grabbing her datapad and then her cell phone she abandoned on the sofa. Gabriel cleared his throat as he watched the woman recollect herself and wondered if she would have another episode like this when she was alone. Who would she go to then?

"I messaged Nat about taking you out for target practice…" Gabriel started as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Target practice hm?" Kallista asked as she looked at her cell phone and a message from Natalie.

"So I'm cleared for a gun then?"

"Yeah...you can head over to Mikael and the R&D department to get started...Natalie will be training you,"

"Do I get a cool gun?" Kallista asked with a small smirk.

"You barely know how to shoot a gun. Let alone gun safety," Gabriel laughed.

"Ok, but have you considered that I learn quickly," Kallista added

"Get out of my office Kallista,"

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough Translations:
> 
> Hacer lo que quieras, gatita- you can do whatever you want  
> Mmm...en serio? Me puedo quedar aquí -Mmm seriously? Can I stay here?  
> Si, gatita - Yes, kitten/pussycat  
> Lobo, tengo la localización de Kallista - Wolf, I have Kallista's location  
> Dámelo - Give it to me  
> Estas aqui conmigo, Kallista - Are you here with me, Kallista


	10. Apology Not Needed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weekend Shenanigans lead to regrets and apologies...
> 
> Warning: NSFW towards the end (It seems kinda redundant, but a warning?)

**Mid 2063**

* * *

 

"Gabo told me about your first time shooting a gun...and it was pretty damned good Kalli," Natalie said as she put her hands on her hips.

"It was just lucky shots," Kallista replied.

"Lucky or not. It was still good," Natalie replied.

"I've never shot a gun, but yet it looked like I knew what I was doing," Kallista sighed.

"Ya damned skippy it look like you knew what you were doing and we're about to fix that," Natalie replied. Kallista looked at the woman slightly confused at what she had just said.

"Sorry...I've been hanging around Jesse too much," Natalie sighed

"That sounds terrible," Kallista laughed.

"Tell me about it. Anyway...I don't think we've ever trained or sparred together," Natalie mentioned

"It's a first for everything and besides I'm pretty sure you can kick my ass," Kallista said as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

"I dunno Kalli...Lyuda told me that you do know how to pack a punch and leave a bruise and maybe some fracturing," Natalie smirked

"Oh, shit she had bruises? Why didn't she tell me?" Kallista groaned.

"She wouldn't that's just how she is...but you know what the means right?" Natalie said as she looked at Kallista, her eyes partially lidded, a grin on her lips. Kallista looked cautiously at the woman, she was up to something and Kallista was pretty sure this was no different.

"What?" Kallista asked hesitantly.

"You get to train with the big boss,"

"Big Boss?" Kallista asked and realized that the woman was wiggling her eyebrows at her.

"I can't believe you. Teach me the basics," Kallista sighed heavily. Natalie chuckled as she moved next to the woman and pointed towards the target several feet away.

"Let's get down to work. That's your target, show me what you can do," Natalie said as she stood behind her watching her Kallista's posture, the way she held onto the small pistol before Kallista fired Natalie spoke up.

"Relax. Control your breathing, otherwise, your shots are going to miss your mark," Natalie said, her tone firm.

"Take three shots and you better hit the target,"

"Ok, pile on the pressure Natalie," Kallista grumbled.

"Less talk, more pew pew,"

* * *

Malik grimaced as he stood in front of the taller man examining his exoskeleton, he hated being examined, he hated being looked over as some type of experiment. He hated it, but he also knew that Kallista's words were meant to be well, meant to look out for him. Gabriel had did his best to keep an eye on the young man and his health at the time, but with the increased missions and the mounting injuries that Malik sustained, he had to be removed from the field until he was well enough and capable enough to not be so reckless. But now that duty was graciously given to Kallista.

" _Get your exoskeleton checked over, and go get seen by a doctor"_

" _...I will,"_

" _No. You have to otherwise you'll stay on desk duty until you're cleared. You know what Reyes told you,"_

" _Yeah..but…"_

_"I don't want to hear it. Go see Mikael and Jin,"_

" _Do it or desk duty,"_

It sucked, but still, the only thing that made it better was the man actually examining him.

"How is your exoskeleton? Is it still working for you?" Mikael said as he looked at the man standing in front of him, his eyes roaming over Malik's black exoskeleton.

"Yeah...hey Mikky...you've been busy a lot…" Malik's voice trailed off.

"Well you know...work and stuff," Mikael said as he knelt and looked at the knee joints.

"You're not overworking yourself are you?"

"Not any more than you are...Torbjorn has been ramping up his projects especially since there are more people in the mechanic's area within Blackwatch," Mikael replied.

"That's true...Hayden has been telling me a little bit about Citlali?" Malik asked.

"Yeah that's her, Talli...she prefers to be called Talli," Mikael corrected he moved the man's knee.

"I know...it's a little confusing...you know...Kalli...Talli…" Malik trailed off as he lifted his knee.

"True...or you can go the way that a few others do and call her Lali, at least that's what Kallista calls her...I'm not sure how she feels about it though." Mikael chuckled.

"Sounds about right...have you been going to physical therapy?" Mikael asked as he adjusted the artificial tendon, Malik hesitated.

"I take that as a no...and your medication?"

Malik remained silent as he avoided the man quick gaze. Mikael sighed heavily as he stood, he crossed his arms as he looked at the hesitant man.

"Look...I'm not sure of your relationship between you and Mikami...but he's the only one that knows what's going on with your health...you should really go see him," Mikael suggested.

"I...it's kinda hard to do that Mikky...I want to but…," Malik trailed off.

"But?" Mikael asked as he cupped the man's face, Malik still avoided the man's gaze.

"Hey...look at me,"

Malik gulped and hesitantly looked at the man.

"Go see him...I'm not going anywhere and he's not going anywhere...ok?" Mikael said quietly. Malik pursed his lips as he looked at the man before sighing and looking away.

"...Ok…"

* * *

Again," Natalie said. Kallista fired again.

"Again. Aim for the heart,"

Kallista fired again, hitting her target

"Aim for the left ear,"

Kallista hit her targets with ease, behind her Natalie applauded her.

"Not bad, you've actually did a lot better than I expected Kalli. Alright, you're done for today," Natalie said as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Really? You were giving me so much shit for missing, thanks...that's less stress on me," Kallista said as she placed the safety on the gun and holstered it.

"You've already gotten past the hard part...you know...killing someone," Natalie replied.

"Yeah…" Kallista trailed off.

"Hey. It's either you or them and I'd rather for it to be them than you and besides you've done a lot today, you've already gotten the stance down, covered all of the safety measures, your aiming in pretty good. I'm thinking with a few more sessions I think you'll be cleared to carry on the field," Natalie said as she nodded her head.

"That's promising," Kallista sighed.

"That is...if he lets his _Pequeno gatita_ on the field," Natalie snickered. Kallista narrowed her eyes at the woman causing the woman to laugh.

"Laugh it up baby girl," Kallista sneered, Natalie tensed at the woman's words, it was Kallista's turn to laugh.

"Laughing is good for the soul..." Natalie replied.

"So I've heard on more than one occasion," Kallista smiled.

"W-What-?"

"What are you two nerds doing in here?"

Kallista and Natalie looked at the man the entered the shooting gallery, it was Mikael followed by Citlali.

"Nerd? I take offense to that," Natalie huffed. Mikael chuckled in response.

"You know that you're one of the nerdiest people here," The man added.

"You shouldn't talk old bones," Natalie replied.

"Hey Natalie, Kallista," Citlali smiled.

"Hey," Kallista nodded.

"I heard they came out with a new comic…" Mikael started as he ushered Citlali into a stall. Natalie's eyes lit up as she heard the man's words.

"New comic you say...Mikael tell me more," Natalie smiled.

"Oh my god," Kallista laughed.

"You guys read comics? Like the super old ones?" Citlali asked.

"Yeah..you know to waste time and what not," Natalie replied.

"That sounds kinda fun...but aren't the new ones interactive though? Why not read those?" Citlali suggested.

"Ok the feel of the old comic paper is the best part," Mikael chuckled.

"Those have to be expensive…" Citlali commented.

"Well with how we're being paid…" Natalie started

"Or with Jack's credit card," Kallista said under her breath. Natalie turned to glare at the woman next to her.

"Kallista…" Natalie started.

"Are you two coming out with us tonight?" Mikael asked as he noticed the two women's catty like exchange.

"You guys should definitely come with us. It's gonna be great,"

"Oh, I didn't know we were going out…" Kallista trailed off.

"Kallista you should come with us. It'll be fun," Citlali added.

"Hell yeah we'll be there and come back for an after party," Natalie spoke up.

"Afterparty hm?" Kallista said suggestively causing Natalie to glare at the woman again, Kallista snickered.

"Eseís oi dýo eínai anóitoi," Mikael laughed at the two women.

"And with that, I am going to get ready to go," Kallista said as she quickly headed towards the exit, Natalie's piercing stare at the back of her head as she left.

* * *

Kallista locked away her firearm before she traversed the halls of the Overwatch Division the four-hour long training session on her mind. She learned the basics, tips, focused on the proper way to hold a gun, and tons of target practice. Granted it had only been two days since the mission in Austria, her hands still shook and fewer nightmares.

"You're going to be fine Kallista," Kallista said to herself as she walked passed the Medbay.

"H-Hey Kallista?"

Kallista turned towards the source of the voice to see a woman slowly hobbling down the hall towards her.

"Idoya...what are you doing up? Were you cleared to walk around?" Kallista asked as she quickly approached the woman. Idoya chuckled breathlessly as she leaned against the wall with her cane, Kallista quickly examined the woman.

"Before you ask...I am in pain and I am dealing with it," Idoya said.

"I can see that...what about your therapy?" Kallista asked.

"It's going...I think I have one more month," Idoya replied.

"That's good to hear did you tell Reyes about it?" Kallista questioned.

"Yeah. He knows," Idoya replied.

"So have you decided what you're going to do? I know that you were hesitant before," Kallista started.

"Yes. I know...I just…" Idoya trailed off.

Kallista looked at the woman silently before leaning on the wall near her, Idoya glanced at Kallista before she spoke.

"Take your time," Kallista replied.

"I...I was just hesitant to agree to be a part of Blackwatch...well Overwatch nonetheless...I just want to make sure that...what I'm doing is right...I…" Idoya trailed off again and sighed heavily.

"I'm here...because I trust you and Reyes...you two basically talked me into staying here…"

"Oh? I didn't know you felt that way," Kallista said as she ran a hand through her hair, frowning at the scent of gunmetal on her hand.

"Kallista-" Idoya started.

"Revenge can come later...you need to pick yourself up again before you do anything against Los Muertos," Kallista began. Idoya lowered her eyes to the floor, tears dripping onto her shirt, Kallista glanced at the woman next to her she moved to cup the woman's face with both hands.

"Idoya...No llores por él...la venganza es un plato mejor servido frío e inesperada," Kallista said as she looked up at the taller woman.

"Es solo dura...a olvidar...Kallista...lo mataron como un animal," Idoya sobbed.

"Idoya...they will get what is coming to them...I promise you," Kallista said as she wiped the tears from the woman's face.

"Fewer tears now Idoya...go rest…" Kallista said as she nodded. Idoya wiped her tears away with the back of her hand before sighing heavily.

"Yeah...you make it sound so simple, but it's not," Idoya murmured.

"It's not..but you must know your limitations," Kallista replied.

"I guess...thanks, Kallista…" Idoya said as she struggled to push herself from the wall, Kallista moved to help the woman up.

"Take it easy and don't beat yourself up over this...they will get what's coming to them," Kallista said.

Idoya nodded silently before she began to hobble down the hallway.

Kallista crossed her arms and sighed, she knew the woman was struggling not only with her recovery but with her mental state. Kallista had seen the woman was bloody and bruised, betrayed by the gang she served, her omnic lover killed in front of her. She needed more time to recover, more time to heal.

_Bzzt! Bzzt!_

Kallista pulled out her cell phone to see a string of messages from several people.

_{Malik: When are we leaving?}_

_{McCree: I dunno, who ready?}_

_{Mags: Who's all going. Roll call.}_

_{Nattie: Me!}_

_{Aleks: I guess me?}_

_{Linda: Can I go?}_

_{Mags: No.}_

_{Malik: No. Truffles.}_

_{Mikael: You assholes. Linda, you can come}_

_{Lali: Me~!}_

_{Linda: Thank you, Mikael}_

_{Birro: Hell yeah I'm down!}_

_{O'Conell: Me}_

_{Mags: Oh shit Rhett you're in on this?}_

_{O'Conell: Hell yeah.}_

_{Malik: Oh shit whaddup Rhett!}_

_{Birro: RHETT. YES. WHADDUP!?}_

_{O'Conell: WASSUP?!}_

_{Kallista: I'm going}_

_{Lali: Kallista!}_

_{Nattie: You better B) }_

_{Kallista: …}_

_{Malik: aay Kalli~}_

_{McCree: U better come}_

_{Kallista: What's that supposed to mean cowboy?}_

_{McCree: I dunno...lol}_

_{Lyuda: I assume that you're leaving us out of this?}_

_{McCree: Aye Lyuda. U wanna come?}_

_{Lyuda: It would be rude if you didn't include your commanding officers}_

_{Nattie: Lyuda you should come too! Come get shit faced with us}_

_{Lyuda: Shit faced hm? Nattie you forget where I come from, we drink alcohol like water}_

_{Mags: Lyuda know what's up, lol}_

_{Nattie: I take that as a challenge, Lyuda}_

_{Reyes: I don't want to hear your complaints tomorrow morning when you have a hangover.}_

_{McCree: cmon Gabe don't ruin the fun}_

_{Malik: Gabo, you gotta come}_

_{Nattie: Gabby! Come with us!}_

_{Mags: Reyes...you should definitely come B) }_

_{Reyes: Busy. Like you all should be right now }_

_{Malik: Welp.}_

Kallista grimaced at the texts before shoving her cell phone into her pocket, already she could tell that something was going to happen based on the people going, it was going to be mayhem but maybe it was something that they needed. Everyone had been working non-stop on missions, reports, training, and more, going out tonight was probably to keep everyone from going insane. Kallista sighed to herself and continued to make her way to her room.

* * *

Kallista sighed heavily as she rubbed her temples as she made her way to his room, the past weekend was a blur and a mess. Too much hard liquor, waking up in her bed dressed in his shirt, hips sore, small deep purple marks on her neck. She could clearly tell what they were, and who they were from, which was why she was standing quietly in front of his door.They slept together on more than one occasion but what happened over the weekend still bothered her. Putting his reaction and her memories together she knew what happened that night; she drank too much and came on to him.

She needed to apologize, even with their 'situation' she still shouldn't have done it. It wasn't professional. She was professional to some extent.

"Here goes nothing," Kallista said to herself before she knocked on the door. There was silence for a moment before Kallista heard shuffling from behind the door, she was thankful for her enhanced hearing for once.

"Hey Reyes, I'm sorry if I woke you up, it's Kallista I need to talk to you," she said as she looked around making sure that no one saw her. The door opened slightly letting the woman slip in, she instantly noticed the how dimly lit the room was as the door softly clicked behind her.

"...did I wake you?" she asked as she looked over her shoulder.

"No, I just got done showering, what's going on?" Gabriel asked as he walked past her sitting on the edge of his bed. Her eyes quickly glanced over the man before she cleared her throat and began to speak.

"Oh... I'll make this quick then," Kallista said as she looked away from the man and ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm listening,"

"It's about what happened last weekend, I feel the need to apologize," Kallista started,

"An apology?" Gabriel questioned.

"I was out of line for coming onto you like that. I shouldn't have. You're my commanding officer you know not crossing lines-" Kallista stopped when she noticed a smirk on his lips as he looked at her.

"What's with the smirk...I'm try to be serious here," Kallista huffed

"It's the fact that you're apologizing to me," Gabriel chuckled.

"What? Am I doing it wrong? Am I not supposed to or something?" Kallista questioned.

"It's just funny that you are. I could have easily stopped you, did you forget who I am Kallista?" Gabriel said as he leaned forward placing an elbow on his thigh, and leaned on his hand.

"That's true...but still… I'm still gonna apologize," Kallista said nervously.

"Besides I'm the one that should be apologizing to you, I heard that you got your ass handed to you with your training with Lyuda," Gabriel commented. Kallista shifted her weight from one leg to the other and crossed her arms.

"I did fine...it was no big deal," Kallista replied nonchalantly.

"You sure?" Gabriel said as he stood up.

Kallista's eyes lingered on the man's chiseled bare chest before they snapped up to meet his mahogany colored orbs looking down at her.

"How are you feeling now?"

"I'm ok…I'm walking normally at least. You don't have to worry about that..." Kallista trailed off as she glanced away from him attempting to change the subject off of her.

"I'll have those mission reports for you soon...Malik and the others are finishing up the reports for that outpost in Bulgaria. It shouldn't be too long until they are-"

"That's the last thing I'm worried about…"Gabriel trailed off

"Ok. What's at the top of your list of things to worry about?" Kallista asked as she looked at the man again.

"You really want to know what's on that list?" Gabriel asked with a small smirk.

"Humor me,"

"Well...I didn't necessarily think of where I was putting those marks on your neck…," He said as he looked at her neck. Kallista smirked as her hand went to one of the marks on her neck.

"It's fine. I'll wear them proudly until they fade," Kallista replied nonchalantly. Gabriel chuckled softly as she ran a hand through his hair and his cleared his throat.

"Does that turn you on, Reyes? Knowing that your little intelligence director is walking around with the marks that you gave her and no one knows the real story?" Kallista lowered her voice as she looked at the man.

"You're still so bold...that mouth will get you in trouble Kallista," Gabriel growled. Kallista tilted her chin up, a smirk on her lips as she looked at him.

"Don't you have a meeting to go to with Morrison?" Kallista teased as she realized the heat that was rolling off of him warmed her skin. She didn't realize that he had moved so close to her.

"Once again, that's pretty low on my list too," Gabriel replied, his voice husky.

"You didn't answer me as to what's on the top of your list," Kallista purred. Gabriel peered down at the woman looking smugly at him, a soft chuckle came from the man before he licked his lips and grinned " _You_ ,"

The small gap between them closed quickly as he yanked Kallista onto him, a hand burying itself in her ebony hair as the other arm snaked itself around her waist. His fingers dug into the small of her back at the same time his mouth hungrily captured hers.

He wasn't gentle. Teeth eagerly nipping at her lips, his chest pressed against her breasts. His hips desperately canted into hers as his erection pressed hard against her lower abdomen. Willingly Kallista opened to him his tongue swept into her mouth thoroughly exploring a familiar terrain.

A familiar taste, hints of cigarette smoke, an indescribable mint, honey, coffee, and whiskey all mixed together as their tongues danced against one another. She braced herself against him, normally the man was a walking furnace but his skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat.

He was burning up.

Her back collided with something hard, a wall, she was too caught up in the man to realize that he was guiding her back She felt his hand cup the back of her head to prevent it from colliding with the hard surface of the wall, the arm around her waist squeezed tighter.

"Reyes-" Kallista started when her breath caught in her lungs at his hot, wet, open mouth kisses and gentle bites down the column of her throat. A soft moan escaped her lips urging him on as a hand snaked its way underneath her cropped top groping at her breasts while his thigh worked its way between her legs.

His lips ghosted down her neck, gently nipping at the marks he made over the weekend, earning another breathy moan from Kallista, her eyes closing her chest heaving. His mouth traveled downwards along her shoulder and brushing her collarbone, the scruff of his neatly trimmed facial hair brushing across her skin left the area tingling and sent shivers through her body.

"Gabriel," Kallista moaned softly

"My name sounds so good when you say it...," he groaned in between his little nips and licks as he jerked his hips against her.

"I need it more," He growled.

Without warning, he grabbed at her thin cropped top with both hands and ripped it clean down the middle. A gasp escaped from Kallista's lips at the sudden action but was quickly hushed by Gabriel's lips brushing against hers.

"I'll get you another one," he shoved its frayed remains down her arm as his lips brushed down her neck.

"Y-You better- ah! Gabe-" Kallista moaned again, a little louder.

"Yeah...keep that up...let me hear you," he skimmed his hand under her bra to cup a breast as his other one dipped beneath the waistband of her pants.

" _Especially when you start begging for me,_ " Gabriel growled against her heated skin. Kallista sighed breathlessly as she ran a hand through his dark curls lightly massaging scalp.

Gabriel jerked into her touch groaning in pleasure. His lips trailed down her neck placing hot kisses on her shoulder blade and quickly moved to her collarbone and hungrily nipped at her exposed skin.

With a quick flex of his fingers, her bra was snatched from around her and seconds later his mouth was on her breast. She arched deliciously into his wet, hot suckle with a breathy sigh. He teased her nipple with flicks of his tongue, at the same time his hands grabbed under Kallista's thighs lifting her upwards against the wall and pressed his hard arousal against her heat.

"A-Ah," Kallista mewled as he ground against her, burying his head in the crook of her neck as Kallista gently raked her nails down the nape of his neck. Quickly, he moved them from the wall and towards his bed.

Letting her slide on to his bed she glanced up at him as he glanced down at her. He palmed his thick length through his sweatpants as a small smirk played on Kallista lips as she pulled down at the man's sweatpants and boxer briefs, he looked down at her with a wolfish grin. With a grin of her own Kallista palmed his hardening cock while running a fingertip across the bulbous tip. His thighs twitched at her deliberate motion, a soft hiss escaped from the man as Kallista she gently gripped his length and lazily pumped.

"I'm supposed to be apologizing to you," Gabriel grunted.

"I can take a raincheck," Kallista whispered as she looked up at him, her eyes half-lidded. Before he could reply she guided him past her plush lips, her tongue swirling around the tip as she took more of him into her throat.

"You're so eager-" he clenched his teeth at how she dipped her head as low as she could manage.

"To take it all down," he growled deeply.

A throaty moan slipped from his lips as she increased the speed and suction as she bobbed up and down on him. Slowly pulling from throbbing length her lips suckled at the tip, he squeezed his eyes shut as she slowly took him back in.  
"Fuck," he grunted as she deliberately took down more of him. He stared down at her with hooded eyes, engrossed at the sight of her plush lips stretching around his thickness.  
"Oh god...just like that," he panted

"Such a mouth on you," his hands twisted in her ebony hair, trying to keep control of himself, his moans escalating as she took in more and more of his hard cock.

"You're gonna let me come down that pretty little throat of yours?" Gabriel growled.

Kallista teasingly pulled back from his length licking her lips. She glanced up at Gabriel with a knowing smirking before taking him into her mouth again.  
"That look...damn…," he rumbled, hips bucking. Kallista moaned as she continued not ca sounds sent him growling, his hands buried in her hair and gave a slight yank.

Kallista hummed as she felt his thighs twitch underneath the hand she used to balance herself a soft moan rumbled in her throat as she felt his thighs twitch, her lips and tongue continued to work him. Moments later he seized, shook and then snarled his release as he spilled into her throat. She gulped down the man's thick essence before she slowly slipped him from her mouth followed by her soft languid licks along his throbbing shaft had him humming her name.

Gabriel suddenly yanked her up against him in a bruising kiss, his large hands groping her plush rear and gave it a rough squeeze before he gently pushed her back onto his bed.

"Off. Now," Gabriel growled.

"So demanding Gabriel," Kallista chuckled. A smirk on her lips, she removed her clothes all while holding the man's gaze. He moved to take off the rest of his clothes before he moved to hover over her on his knees and forearms.

"You're not wrong there," he whispered

"This is quite risky for you Gabriel," Kallista whispered against his lips.

"Calculated risks...besides...you know what this is Kallista," Gabriel growled deeply as his thick callous fingers slipped between her folds.

"D-Do I?" A shaky sigh slipped from Kallista's lips as, Gabriel hungrily pressed his lips to hers, eating up all of her soft cries and gasps that came from her as his fingers worked her.

"Look at you, all nice and wet for me," he rasped into her ear before languidly teasing the sensitive bud.

"G-Gabe-" Kallista squirmed against him. Using his thick fingers he continued to mercilessly tease the withering woman as more gasps and moans spilled from her lips, his lips at her ear whispering filthy words in their native tongue.

"Gabriel-" Kallista whined and trembled underneath him as he pushed her towards her climax.

"Come for me Kallista…" Gabriel growled against her lips.

She squeezed her eyes shut as electricity buzzed through her as she arched her back into the man. Gabriel greedily suckled at one of her pert nipples pushing her further over the edge. Kallista gasped as her fingers laced in his dark hair and tugged as her climax crushed through her. His lips followed her down to the bed, his tongue languidly rolled at her nipple before pulling back with a soft pop.

"Kallista-"Gabriel started as he gazed down at her, his eyes dark filled with lust.

"Yes…," Kallista mouthed. Gabriel moved quickly towards his nightstand and pulled out a condom, he discarded the wrapper and rolled the condom onto his length before grabbing her hips and pulling her towards him. She instantly wrapped her legs around his waist as she felt the thick head of his member pressing against her opening.

"Look at me," Gabriel growled, Kallista's icy blue orbs focused on his mahogany ones as he slowly pressed into her, her face twisting in pleasure as he stuffed her full of him.  
"Oh god," Kallista inhaled at the fullness of him stretching her. Each languid thrust buried him deeper until he was completely buried in her tight heat.

His hands gripped her hips tighter as he grounded against her, achingly snug within her, he languidly withdrew from her and quickly thrust back into her fucking her steadily harder with each snap of his hips.

"G-Gabriel," Kallista whimpered quietly.

His strokes steadily sped up as he fucked her harder into the mattress, the bed squeaking as the frame of the bed banged slightly against the wall. Kallista cried out as she arched her back, groaning Gabriel leaned forward to suckle a peaked nipple into his mouth. He purposely shifted his angle, his cock now stroked against her sweet spot with each thrust.

"The way you say my name," he groaned deeply.

" _Gabriel_ ," Kallista whispered as her nails dug into his back

"Again," he demanded.

"Gabriel-" Kallista whimpered as his lips captured her in a heated sloppy kiss. With each snap of his hips, pressing against her g-spot he began to take her a part piece by piece. His hard fucking had her biting his shoulder and babbling reckless nonsense.  
"I-I'm gonna…" Kallista whimpered, jerking up against him as he sheathed himself to the hilt.

His hips snapped into hers a few more times before her vision seemed to flash white hot. Her nails raked down his back leaving marks, he groaned deeply as the stinging sensation traveled across his back. She clung to him as he quickly pushed to her pass her limit, a choked sob came from her as he continued faster and harder causing her body to tense within her sending him rambling in lyrical Spanish.

"I can't…Gabriel…I-I need to-" Kallista whined  
"I've got you, gatita, c'mon, that's it," his fingers slid along her clit with relentless strokes.

Electricity seemed to buzz through building in her belly as he continued mercilessly, building until her body couldn't hold back. Her body arched into his as her free hand clawed at his shoulder as she came with a sharp series of wrecked gasps.

Not missing a beat, he continued through her orgasm, only slowing down to a roll of his hips rolling his hips, her legs wrapped around his waist twitched as she slowly came down from her high, she was still a begging mess whimper incoherent words in English and Spanish.

"Kallista...," he groaned her name before devouring her lips again, his hips picking up speed.  
"Y-Yes," Kallista moaned against his lips as she squeezed her eyes shut at the dizzying feel of her orgasm.

"Gabriel...please..." Kallista begged breathlessly, Gabriel groaned deeply in the back of his throat.  
"You're so good to me," he peppered her face with achingly gentle kisses as he took both of her hands in his and brought them above her head.  
"Kallista, look at you," he rasped at her ear at the same time he trapped both of her wrists in one hand. His other one fell to Kallista's hip, caressing the soft skin as he sped up his thrusts.

"All hot beneath me," he brushed his lips across her cheek.

A throaty growl came from Gabriel as he buried his nose in her hair and doggedly fucked her through her third orgasm. His mouth repeating her name against her ear, a final, erratic jolt of his hips he came.

Kallista's mind spun as she tried to gather her thoughts, the man panting in her ear, a hand gripping her hip, while the other held her hands above her head. She didn't register that Gabriel had moved and gently pulled her against him in a sweaty heap. His arm wrapped loosely around her waist as he whispered sweet little praises to her in Spanish. Her hair clung to her and his sweaty skin as she laid on him, there was silence besides the soft panting coming from both of them.

"Bloody Hell...I just came here to apologize..." Kallista panted. Gabriel chuckled as he brushed a piece of hair from her face.

"Apology accepted,"

* * *

Kallista casually strolled into the intelligence office the next morning as normal, catching glances of her small team. She placed her coffee and datapads on an empty desk and moved over to a terminal as she approached a green holographic screen and small holographic keypad appeared, quickly punching in numbers a larger holographic screen appeared. Magnus glanced up from his monitor, along with Malik and Aleks.

"Oh you're here," Malik was the first to speak.

"What does that mean?" Kallista asked.

"How did that apology go Kalli? It took a whole night did it?" Magnus asked.

Kallista quickly glanced at the dark-haired man peering at her from his desk, Linda looked at Kallista expectantly.

"Bloody Hell Malik what did you say?" Kallista sighed as she swiped the holographic screen away.

"I dunno what you're talking about," Malik said as he typed on his multicolored holographic keyboard.

"Lies," Kallista huffed.

"I mean...I don't remember all that had happened...but I did hear through the grapevine of your apology…" Magnus smirked.

"Didn't think it would take a day…" The dark haired man sneered.

"Soo...what happened? Did you get all up close and personal with the commander?" Aleks asked.

"I'm disappointed in you Aleks were one of the good ones," Kallista sighed

"Ah, come on Director I'm just poking fun," Aleks chuckled a bit.

"Tch, you all are the nosiest people I've ever encountered," Kallista said as she went over to one of the main terminals in the room.

"I'm...just curious is all," Aleks replied.

"You still have that limp though...is your ankle ok?" Linda asked.

"My ankle is fine, and there's nothing to tell the lot of you, come off of it," Kallista huffed again,

"There's that haughty British accent of yours...ooooh someone hit the nail on the head," Magnus commented.

"A limp and no bra, and she kinda smells like him too," Malik commented nonchalantly.

"Excuse me? I shower every day," Kallista started.

"Someone is paying **close** attention…" Magnus chuckled as he looked back at his screen.

"Sometimes," Malik chuckled.

"Didn't Commander Reyes take an Adrenaline cocktail to catch up on work?" Aleks commented.

"Most likely...but I mean…" Malik shrugged.

"Ok so that not what they are supposed to be used for. The effects that the person has is...questionable...oh," Linda trailed off as she realized what had happened.

"Oh shit Kalli...Malik set you up," Magnus laughed.

" Ayye! no tienes nada en mí!" Malik laughed.

"Shut up both you," Kallista sighed heavily.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the first time I've included smut in this series... I have sinned.
> 
> Rough Translations:  
> Pequeno Gatita - Small kitten  
> (Greek) Eseís oi dýo eínai anóitoi - you two are fools/silly  
> Idoya...No llores por él...la venganza es un plato mejor servido frío e inesperada - Idoya...don't cry over it, revenge is best served cold and unexpectedly  
> Es solo dura...a olvidar...Kallista...lo mataron como un animal, - It's hard to forget...they killed him like an animal


	11. Snow in Switzerland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In moments like this, he had too much time to think, to feel.
> 
> Warning: NSFW towards the end (It seems kinda redundant, but a warning?)

**Late 2063**

* * *

 

Kallista watched as the streetlights pass quickly as she and a few others were on their way to the end of the year gala. They were given an invitation by Lyudmila which prompted a shopping trip with Natalie leading the way. The winter season always reminded her of her childhood back in Bristol, back when she was a child she traveled between Mexico, the United States, and England due to her parent's work. With the winter season also reminded Kallista that her parents were still nowhere to be found. She thought about them occasionally and where they might be, if they were alive or dead.  She didn't know, they never talked about their work, if they did she knew it was some lie to keep her satisfied and to stop her from asking more questions.

"Don't cause a scene," Gabriel's voice plucked her from her nostalgic memories and thoughts, currently a group of agents, herself, Gabriel and Lyudmila were on their way to Overwatch's annual end of the year gala. 

"No worries Reyes. We'll behave," Hayden said with a smirk as he adjusted their winter coat.

"You say that now, something is going to happen now," Gabriel commented.

"We'll be fine. You won't even know that we are here. We'll blend in like we're supposed to do," Mikael said as he waved the man's worry off.

"Don't be so worried...we're all adults. We know when to act a fool and to button up," Natalie commented.

"I don't think that's what he's too worried about. I'll be watching all of you so behave," Lyudmila commented coolly.

"Oooh scary scary Lyuda," Idoya commented.

"I could be if I need to...so let's not get to that point," Lyudmila replied.

"I'm surprised you invited us," Mikael commented.

"I wanted to be nice and extend the invitation to a select few," Gabriel replied.

"Oh is that what this is?" Hayden chuckled.

"Birro, you've been to plenty of these," Lyudmila replied.

"I know...but still," Hayden shrugged.

"I bet it's going to be boring...he wants us to suffer with him," Natalie replied as she crossed her arms.

"Sure," Gabriel smirked.

"You do know you're my least favorite boss right?" Natalie huffed.

"Not the first time you've said that Nat," Gabriel chuckled.

Gabriel glanced at everyone in the taxi, normally he would attend these Galas solo or with his second in command, Lyudmila, but this year was a bit different, he wanted something to be different at this year's gala and so he left it to Lyudmila to invite those who would cause the least amount of problems. Needless to say, he was impressed by the people she chose and he didn't need to worry too much about them.

They arrived at the ballroom without any issues and settled in at their assigned table, sat through speeches given by high-ranking officials, charity organizers, and the Strike Commander's' speech. When Morrison took the stage the table started to buzz, jokes, comments on his performance the whole nine yards. There were a few times where Morrison stared at their table, unamused, at that point, Gabriel begrudgingly silenced the table and allowed the man to continue without further issue. After the speeches, everyone was left to mingle and dine at their leisure. 

Gabriel spoke candidly with a few of the officers within Overwatch and business to high-ranking officials in the world's military. Alone now, Gabriel turned his attention to finding his agents.

He managed to find Hayden and Natalie first, Hayden had managed to get Natalie and to converse with a few Overwatch officials and agents, with drinks in their hands of course. He then quickly scanned the room again and found Mikael and Idoya sitting with the staff of the Overwatch R&D department as they conversed and dined. He caught a few glances of Lyudmila in a conversation with some the officials from the UN and Overwatch. He could tell the woman was still uncomfortable but she grinned and bared it. There was one person he hadn't been able to spot, not that it bothered him. It was her job to remain hidden and from her previous life, this is the type of setting she excelled in.

" _ Even with everyone here, this is still the blandest gala to date _ ," Lyudmila said as she stood next to Gabriel.

"Tell me about it. They are lacking this year," Gabriel sighed.

No matter how many times he attended these events, they were still not his were not his favorite. He could easily find a way to get out of the event itself, but in most cases, Jack managed to rope the man into attending.

"Only a few hours more...just for appearances and to get Jack off my back,"

"I thought as much...hopefully we can leave sooner. I hear that there is a blizzard on its way from the east," Lyudmila commented.

"Great. A blizzard just what we needed," Gabriel replied.

"Perfect timing no? That will be more interesting than this gala, no matter how many times I attend one of these it's still a bit of a bore," Lyudmila scoffed before she sipped her drink.

"It has its up and downs...but as for leaving early...I'll see what I can do, but no promises," Gabriel chuckled.

"Everyone would be thankful if you did let us off early...besides...we don't need to be here...just you...and maybe Kallista for appearances, at least," Lyudmila commented nonchalantly. The man scoffed at her comment, he knew what she was trying to do.

"And why do you think that? Most of the people here think that she's a political commentator and not with Overwatch unless that's your way of teasing me Lyuda?" Gabriel chuckled.

"I dunno Gabriel...I might be?" Lyudmila chuckled.

Gabriel looked at the woman next to him, his second in command, a trusted friend, someone he could go to if he really needed it. He was thankful that she joined him a few years ago despite the huge loss she suffered to get to this point. Nonetheless, he was thankful that she grinned and bared all the political events, bureaucracy bullshit she went through for the team, he would do anything in his power to help her if she needed it, even if that meant he had to deal with her jokes here and there.

He was thankful for her.

He noticed the woman's dark tailored suit, the crisp white button up. Her hair pulled into a curly bun with a braid laced into the bun. Minimal makeup and red lips, it wasn't often he saw the woman this way. She was the complete opposite of this, aloof and casual.

"Great. I'm being stabbed in the back by my second in command..." Gabriel exaggerated his sigh

"Stabbing? No Gabriel, I wouldn't dare. I'd make sure you'd see me coming...but I'd never do that to you,"Lyudmila replied simply.

"Hopefully we don't get to that point," Gabriel replied.

"No worries and besides you two becoming a 'thing' is adorable," Lyudmila chuckled softly.

"We aren't a thing Lyuda. Against policies or have you forgotten those?" Gabriel replied nonchalantly.

" _ Net _ ...I do recall our commander being stubborn and saying that Blackwatch doesn't always play by the rules. I don't see how this is any different. Besides when has policies ever stopped you?" She questioned, the man was silent.

"Noted. Natalie and Kallista picked out nice dresses don't you think? It's not often you get to see her in such nice clothing," Lyudmila commented as she looked in the direction of the two women.

"And you cannot tell me that the dress she picked does not accentuate her body nicely," Lyudmila spoke plainly.

There was silence between the two as they looked at the woman across the way. She was conversing with Natalie. Gabriel shook his head chuckling as the woman continued, she did look 'nice' in the dress she chose for this event.

"They spent a day in town looking for those dresses and even longer with their makeup..." Lyudmila trailed off as she noticed that Kallista was moving towards them.

"It looks like you're paying attention to her more than I am Lyuda, is there something you need to tell me?" Gabriel chuckled, a smirk formed on Lyudmila's lips as she crossed her arms.

"Well...there might be?" Lyudmila replied nonchalantly.

"We've been a team for nearly seven years and I'm still learning things about you," 

"You're not the only one with secrets Reyes,"

"For now, besides I'm not that obvious," Gabriel chuckled.

"Sometimes, when you're not paying attention your eyes speak much louder than your words," Lyudmila replied.

"I think you're paying attention to your commander a little too much Lyuda," Gabriel replied.

" _ Bred kakoy to _ ," Lyudmila smirked slightly.

"I feel slightly attacked Lyuda"

"I call it as I see it...and I see that you two have a thing," Lyudmila said before taking a sip of her drink again. Gabriel turned to look at the woman next to him.

"Don't give me that look, Gabriel," Lyudmila sighed.

"What thing?" He questioned.

"Oh cmon Gabriel...stop acting all...what is the word...dense. You know...spark, fire, chemistry, connection. Whatever you want to call it. You two have it," Lyudmila quickly said before Kallista joined them. Kallista stood on the other side of the man as she wrapped one arm around her waist and held her champagne flute in her other hand.

"Kallista, " Lyudmila nodded.

"Hey," Kallista nodded to the woman.

"Well… I better go check in with the others. Reyes let me know what you choose to do," Lyudmila said before she nodded to the man and walked away.

"What was that about?" Kallista asked.

"Possibly leaving early," Gabriel replied

"That would be heaven sent right now...I forgot how exhausting this is," Kallista whined.

"I'm surprised that you're not enjoying this more since this was your field, Miss Luciano," Gabriel commented.

Before Blackwatch was assigned to deal with Bastet there were almost not traces of what Bastet looked like, the only one clue they had was the fact that she was female. There was nothing else. Only after Blackwatch had captured her they began to put two and two together,  the woman known as Camilla Torres de Luciano, a well known political commentator, security analyst and political journalist was, in fact, the infamous hacker Bastet. What surprised Gabriel and Morrison the most is that they had met her five years prior to her capture.

"Cute Reyes, unfortunately, I have been out of the political field for quite some time thanks to Blackwatch...of course, I can blend in easily...but the mindset is off," Kallista replied.

"Would you like to go back into the field?" Gabriel asked.

"Maybe...but in another life," Kallista replied.

"Has anyone recognized you?" Gabriel asked.

"A few...but it's fine," Kallista replied.

"To be frank with you Kallista...I didn't expect Bastet to be a political socialite," Gabriel started.

" Good. You weren't supposed to," Kallista grinned slightly as she continued to watch people mingling.

"Also, what in your right mind thought it was a good idea to bring us to this bland ass Gala?" Kallista asked, her voice was soft so that only he could hear her.

"Which answer do you want first?" Gabriel chuckled.

"The real one," Kallista replied as she took a champagne flute from the tray that passed her and placed her empty one as they passed.

"You would cause the least amount of trouble for me, and besides I thought everyone could use a break," Gabriel replied as he watched people converse around them.

"Oh thanks," Kallista laughed.

"You asked I answered," Gabriel replied.

"I guess so...so this what you have to do at the end of the year…" Kallista trailed off.

"Unfortunately," Gabriel replied.

"I mean...it's ok? This...is just kinda bland...at least to me…"Kallista started before she took a sip of her drink.

"Not what you're used to Miss Socialite?" Gabriel quipped.

"It's so boring," Kallista sighed.

"Well I know not to invite you to any of these gatherings," Gabriel said as he nodded to an official that passed by. Kallista shook her head at the man's comment, a grin still on her lips.

"I guess I've done this enough that I'm not phased by the blandness, " Gabriel replied as he nodded to one of the high-ranking officials that passed.

"So then you're a pro a mingling with the politicians and officials...," Kallista replied sarcastically,

"If that's what you want to call it," Gabriel laughed a bit.

"Our fearless commander... a top-notch bureaucrat…" Kallista trailed off

"Only when I need to be,"

Kallista smirked as she took another drink from her champagne flute, Gabriel downed the rest of his coppered color drink as he continued to watch people mingling.

"From what I've heard from the others they are enjoying the free champagne and the fancy clothes..so in a way, we are enjoying the break, besides…." Kallista trailed off and quickly stole a glance of the man.

He was dressed in his black issued military uniform with all of his medals of honor from the Omnic crisis and previous wars, he had let his hair grow a bit to where it was a bit curled but still professional.

"You look good Reyes," Kallista's voice was soft next to him, he glanced to his left, her attention was focused on the people conversing and dining before she glanced up at the man from the corner or her eye.

"You look good yourself Kallista," Reyes said as he turned to face her.

His eyes quickly roamed over her form and dress, it was a sleek long-sleeved dress with a large slit on the left side. He took note of the view of the skin of her hip that was exposed, the deep 'v' cut in the back of the dress showing off her toned back, the dress accentuating her waist Her hair was pulled into a curled ponytail with a sweeping bang. Deep red lips paired with dark and gold makeup.

"Who knew our beanie wearing commander could clean up so nicely," Kallista commented.

"You underestimated me Kallista,"

"You think so? I know more than I let on," Kallista replied.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure," Kallista turned to face him.

"You sure you really want to go there Kallista? I mean from the last time...," Gabriel trailed off coolly.

"I'm ready to go, if you'd like a demonstration again… Gabriel, " Kallista smirked as she looked at the man. Gabriel chuckled as he leaned inconspicuously close to the woman and whispered.

"Patience,”

Kallista tensed as a shiver ran down her spine when she heard the man's words, the deep chuckle the followed after was him keeping a promise. She glanced up at the man her icy blue eyes meeting his mahogany colored ones hoping that he was joking, especially in a place like this.

"It's a shame...that expensive dress will look so much better on the floor…"

The tone of his voice, that intense stare, there was no room for jokes. He was serious.

"Reyes-" Kallista started, her cheeks stained a light pink.

" _ que paciencia, gatita," _

" _ Gabriel _ ,"

Kallista quickly cleared her throat as she used it as a guise to hide how red her cheeks had turned, not to mention that Jack Morrison stood in front of them.

"Kallista, you look really nice," Jack nodded to the woman with a smile.

"T-Thanks," Kallista stuttered as she continued to hide her face from the two men.

"Are you-" Morrison started as he noticed the woman avoiding his gaze before she walked off.

"Ok?" Morrison asked as he looked at the woman confused as she retreated away from the men. Morrison turned his attention back to his comrade, the man was focused on grabbing another drink from one of the trays that passed.

"What was that?" Morrison asked.

"Hm? I don't know...go ask her," Gabriel replied. Morrison rolled his eyes at the man's cheeky response.

"Really Gabriel?"

"It's nothing, just a little fun for this dull Gala," Gabriel replied

"Oh C'mon it's not that bad...have you been back here the entire time?" Morrison asked.

"You say that all the time and I am unimpressed," Gabriel replied bluntly.

"Gabe. C'mon," Morrison sighed.

"You asked, I answered,"

* * *

 

"Of course there would be a blizzard this year," Gabriel cursed to himself as he turned to the woman sitting next to him in the taxi.

"We're in Switzerland,  _ por supuesto que nieva, _ " Kallista laughed. Gabriel chuckled at the woman's giddy and giggly response.

The two stayed behind for appearances for the gala but ended up staying much later than usual but it was enjoyable for once. He watched as the woman placed her head onto his shoulder, a silly grin was plastered on her lips as she seemed to be in her own little world wrapped up in her black winter coat.

He had managed to call a taxi before the blizzard was in full effect unfortunately as the taxi drove the blizzard hit in full force, forcing them to stop and hunker down in a hotel in downtown Zurich. With a little struggle of the snow on the ground not mixing very well with Kallista stilettos he carried her into the hotel and made sure she didn't sprain her ankle as they made their way to their hotel room.

"I'm surprised you're steady on your feet with these heels Kallista," Gabriel commented as he sat Kallista down on the large bed and began to take off her coat.

"I'm surprised  **yer** steady on  **yer** feet Gabi," Kallista giggled, her words starting to slur a bit as she struggled to take off her coat.

Placing her coat on one of plush leather chairs near the by he chuckled at the woman's struggle, he sat next to her and gently took her legs across his lap and took her shoes. He didn't even have to tell her to get into bed, seconds after her shoes were off she rolled into the middle of the bed laughing. Gabriel shook his head as he left the woman to her giddy drunken stupor and over to the large window pulling out his cell phone to make a phone call.

"Hey, Lyuda. Did you and the others make it back to HQ?"

_ {Yes. We made it somehow...I assume that you were caught in the blizzard?} _

"Yeah…" the man trailed off as he looked out the window to see a thick blanket of white snow blowing fiercely outside.

_ {That sounds most unfortunate Reyes.} _

"You think so? Lyuda don't give me your glib," Gabriel replied.

_ {Glib? Reyes...I'm offended.} _

Gabriel chuckled at the woman's tone as he looked down at the white streets below. The snow was thick and had covered everything, he could barely see the streets below, it was a good idea to stop at a hotel instead of braving the streets back to HQ.

"You know I need to be back there otherwise Jack starts losing his shit," Gabriel chuckled

_ {Chto by ty ni govoril, boss...although...you forget there is Natalie and some others...don't try to get out of this} _

He could practically hear the woman smirking and shrug through the phone.

"We won't be able to make it back until the blizzard passes...who knows how long that's going to be," Gabriel said as he looked over his shoulder to catch the woman ungracefully rolling off the bed.

_ {Make sure you two are safe. I will see both of you tomorrow...bring her back in one piece} _

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gabriel scoffed at the woman's remark.

_ {Oh you know...she hides it well but sometimes it slips up with you through, but don't run her too ragged Reyes she needs to be able to move in the morning} _

Gabriel chuckled at the woman's bold statement, she had been throwing suggestive jabs at him all night and it seemed to continue even with a blizzard raging outside.

"Good Night Lyudmila," Gabriel said with a smirk on his lips.

{ _ Sleep Well, Reyes. Make sure you let Kallista sleep too _ }

Gabriel shook his head as the call ended, he sighed heavily as he went over to Kallista who had managed to roll a foot away from the bed. He gently lifted her from the floor and placed her on her feet, she heavily leaned on the man as she laughed.

"Who knew you were such a giggly drunk," Gabriel quipped.

"Who knew right?" Kallista laughed as he head lolled back, Gabriel pulled her towards him and gently cupped the back of her head. He was silently thankful that they actually didn't make it back to HQ. She needed to sober up.

"Reyes…"

"Hm?" Gabriel replied

"I'm a hot mess," Kallista replied as she slumped into the man.

"I was wondering when you were going to figure that out," he chuckled as he held onto the woman

"Give me a break...I'm in this weird haze of being tipsy, buzzed and tired," Kallista replied.

"Then let's get you into bed," Gabriel started

"Are you coming with me?" Kallista whispered as she loosely wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body harder against him.

"Kallista…" Gabriel started a playful warning.

"What happened to 'that dress will look better on the floor' hmm? What happened to that growl of yours... _ Papi _ ," Kallista purred.

He knew her game, he just needed to decide if he was going to indulge in the game as well. He had been watching her the entire time while they were at the gala, her curves, her soft skin between, remembering the way his hands as he kneaded her into putty. Gabriel gently took her chin between his thumb and index finger as he tilted his head up to have her to look up at him.

"You keep teasing Kallista and you'll be more than just a hot mess, gatita," Gabriel gave a toothy smirk,

"Oh I'm just so terrified of the big bad wolf," Kallista quipped.

"Not yet," Gabriel growled as he leaned down to take her lips in a heated kiss. Kallista wrapped her arms tighter around the man's neck as their tongues fought for dominance over one another. His hands roamed over her body groping as they made their way to the button of her dress. In seconds he had the button undone, in moments he had the dress on the floor around her ankles.

"I think...yer...a little overdress Reyes," Kallista giggled.

"You don't say?" Gabriel replied as he chuckled and began to shrug off his overcoat.

Kallista smirked as she sunk to her knees in front of him, her hands deftly unbuckling his belt, and within seconds her crimson red lips were around his semi-hard cock. A low groan came from the man as he weakly dropped his overcoat behind him, he was barely able to undo his tie and was barely able to unbutton his white button up before a hand went to her head, guiding her pace. Slowly she pulled back, a soft pop of suction, the tongue slithering along his length, lovingly placing kisses as she gently palmed his balls in his pants.

"You should probably take these off," Kallista purred as she looked up at him before her lips went back to his cock. Gabriel moaned from the double sensation, his head rolled back as she took him again.

It was too good, so good.

"Kallista…" Gabriel hissed as he gripped her loose ponytail, pulling it slightly. Slowly she pulled back from the man and looked up at him.

"Bed. Now," he growled.

Kallista smirked as she stood, and sauntered over to the king sized bed, Gabriel followed after her as he abandoned his clothes when she turned to look at the man he was already on her. His lips on hers, his hands roaming her body, tweaking her nipples, grabbing her ass all just to feel her body against his. He wrapped an arm around her waist lifting her a bit as he climbed into bed.

"Look at you… all big and strong," Kallista chuckled breathlessly as his lips found a weak spot on her neck. He wasted no time in making her tremble, his fingers expertly worked her, stretching her, filling her and pressing against her sweet spot deep inside her. She withered, squirmed and bucked underneath him, her soft whines and moans did nothing but fuel the growing need within him.

Her makeup smeared, pieces of her hair clinging to her face, her face twisted in pleasure that he wrought.

"Are you...ah...going to tease...me...all night?" Kallista panted breathlessly. Gabriel chuckled deeply as his lips traveled from her breasts, collarbone and to her lips.

"No...I'm going to make you scream my name," Gabriel whispered against her lips before he slipped his fingers from her and moved between her legs.

"Ah.." Kallista sighed as she watched the man languidly pump himself before positioning himself at her needy sex. Slowly he pressed forward, forcing her to take him inch by inch, stretching her until he buried to the hilt within her heat. Kallista tightened her legs around his waist, their lips sealed together as he held his hips pistoned into her. 

Not yet.

They had all night.

A soft whimper escaped from Kallista's lips as he shifted his weight, pressing deeper into her. His pause was short-lived, he pulled his hips back before spearing his hips forward completely burying himself in the moist heat of the woman. A stifled moan escaped Kallista's lips as the man slammed into the woman, again and again, his hunger wanton need flowing through him, his fingers biting into her hips, his heavy thrusts each filling her completely.

Again and again, he repeated his actions, savoring the grip of her walls snugly wrapped around him. Kallista clung to him as he took her, her nails raked down his back leaving marks. The soft moans and gasps that spilled passed her lips reminded her of the times he had her hiked against the wall in his office or sprawled across his desk.

This was different.

The stinging pain from her nails raking down his back fueling the animalistic desire that he harbored since their last de-stressing session and the desire that had added onto that. Harder, faster he pounded into her determined to break her down into putty as he did once before. Through the pants, the soft gasps and moans, a cry erupted from her eliciting a delightful growl from the man.

"Louder," he snarled, she complied.

"Again," he growled. She cried out for him as she threw her head back into the pillow. A deep breath groan rumbled from his chest as he picked up his pace, her loud gasps and moans fueled him to continue harder faster. He leaned down burying his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent and placed opened mouthed kisses on her neck. She matched his rhythm and pace, her hips rocked with his, his hot lips at her ear and whispered filthy things to her.

Kallista cried out as she felt her orgasm quickly building within her core, Gabriel snarled as he felt her walls pulse around him, a tell-tale sign of her orgasm. A growl rumbled deep in his chest as he bit down on her neck, and leaving angry kiss marks over her skin.

"Scream my name," his words were ragged but demanding. Kallista, through her breathy whines and whimpers she called out his name without hesitation, too soft.

"Again," he murmured as he shifted, pushing her knees closer to her head. The shift caused the two to moan, his shallow thrusts hitting that sweet spot deep inside of her, another cry erupted from her lips as her walls pulsed and throbbed around him.

"Cmon Kallista..," Gabriel growled as he lowered his hand to the sensitive nub between her legs, giving her that extra push to break apart.

She screamed his name as she came undone, over and over again she cried out his name, he pressed his lips against her neck, breathing heavily and deep. He was caught off guard by her orgasm that suddenly crashed through her, her walls gripping pulsing around him pushing him closer to his end. More and more power behind every slam of his hips, thrusting into her with an animalistic need. Her orgasm doesn't slow his pace or his need, he snarls and grunts as he fucks her through her orgasm and into the mattress, her walls gripping around him quickly pushing him to his end.

"Kallista I'm gonna-" Gabriel started, urgency in his voice. Kallista pushed her lips onto his in a bruising kiss as she clung to him with the last bit of strength she had. His grip tight on her hips and a rumble of a groan from his chest he came. Kallista fell back against the pillows as she arched into him, accepting everything he gave her

His body hummed with electricity nonetheless he savored the sensation as he thrust shallowly into her. His mind fogged from his orgasm and the woman herself, he silently cursed to himself as he hovered over the woman. Every time they were together sex continuously got better, each time he was satisfied.

Each time.

Slowly he pulled from her and laid onto his back, he glanced over to Kallista as she too laid on her back, her chest rising and falling, her breathing steady.

"Kallista...I'm-" Gabriel started.

"So good…" Kallista sighed as she moved over to him, laying her head on his chest. Gabriel gently wrapped an arm around her waist as the woman drifted off to sleep, he sighed softly as his fingers gently traced over the tattoo on her hip. As the cold chill of the room settled over them Gabriel covered them both before slipping into sleep.

_ Vzzzt! Vzzzt! _

"...Reyes here, " Gabriel grumbled his voice heavy with sleep.

_ {Where are you?} _

"Downtown Zurich," Gabriel replied as the man's gruff voice from the other side of his phone seemed to jog his memory of what had happened the night before. The gala, the blizzard, and more.

_ {You didn't make it back...before the blizzard...at least you sound safe.} _

Gabriel grunted in response to the man's question, he cracked open an eye to see the orangey light of the sun rising through the thick curtains of the room.

_ { When do you think you will make it back?} _

"I don't know...haven't checked the weather," Gabriel replied as he felt the body slotted next to him shift.

_ { It's still snowing...but if you want a day off...I can allow that...and your director too. Yes I know she's with you…} _

"I'll be there when I wake up...in a few hours," Gabriel replied ignoring Morrison's jab

_ { Whatever you say Gabe...and here I thought I was being nice by giving you a day off to relax...but I guess. I'll see you when you get back } _

The phone call ended as Gabriel placed his arm across his forehead, the warm figure next to him shifted slightly, not rousing from her sleep. His arm was wrapped around her waist holding her close as if to protect her from the biting cold of the room. The light of the room was dim and slowly becoming a brighter orange-yellow as the sun continued to rise, shifting slightly himself he thought back to the last time he woke up with someone other than a team member or dead bodies of humans and omnics alike next to him.  It had been a while, but recently there were times where things slowed down and he had time to feel, think, breathe.

Gabriel turned his head slightly to look at the woman, her hair was a tangle messed from the night before, her perfect makeup from the night before was smeared slightly, her deep crimson lipstick gone, he could make out some of the marks he left on her skin.

She literally was a mess.

"Kalli..…" Gabriel whispered. The woman shifted against him again, her hair hiding her face as she pressed herself closer against him. Gabriel sighed softly, as he began rubbing circles on her lower back enjoying the softness and warmth of her against him.

"Kallista...wake up" Gabriel grumbled a bit louder.

"Five more...minutes," Kallista murmured.

"Kallista...it's time to wake up," Gabriel said as he brushed her hair from her face, Kallista slowly opened her eyes to look at the person who forced her to wake up.

"Gabriel...good morning," Kallista whispered.

"Good morning," Gabriel replied as he looked at the sleepy woman.

"Are we still in Zurich?" Kallista asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah," Gabriel replied.

"Do we have to move?" Kallista whined

"We probably should," he replied.

"You're so warm though," Kallista trailed off as she ran a hand through her hair as she leaned on the man's chest.

_ There were times like this where he had time to think, feel, and breathe. _

Gabriel watched as the woman dozed off for a moment and woke up a few moments later, he chuckled softly as he pulled the woman back to him.

"A few more hours...and that's all you're gonna get," Gabriel sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough Translations:
> 
> chush (Russian) - Nonsense  
> que paciencia, gatita - Be patient, kitten  
> Chto by ty ni govoril (Russian) - Whatever you say boss  
> por supuesto que nieva - of course it snows


	12. Your Intel Director

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was one of his most trusted agents, his Intelligence Director, his trump card.

“I have a recon mission I want you and a small team to take,” Gabriel said as he handed her a datapad listing all the information she needed.

“Sounds good,” Kallista asked as she took a quick glance over it before giving him her full attention.

“I would recommend leaving soon. The sooner the better,,” Gabriel replied as he moved behind his desk. He leaned back in his chair sighing heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Tired?” Kallista asked.

“Always,” Gabriel replied.

“Overwatch is slowly being barred from other countries from once we had a presence in before which could mean a few different things,”

“I heard about it. There’s a huge resistance growing against Overwatch in addition to the Omnic aggro and general dislike.  It’s quite strange,” Kallista replied.

“Strange but not new,,” Gabriel sighed. Kallista took the short silence between them to look at the mission details.

“Lovely...a red-eye flight,” Kallista commented.

“The earlier you get there the sooner you can return,” Gabriel replied.

“You sound worried Reyes?” Kallista suggested. Gabriel studied the woman momentarily before turning his attention elsewhere.

“Not entirely,” He replied honestly.

“I assume that’s why you’re giving it to me instead of the others?” Kallista asked.

“You’re an intelligent woman. I think you understand the necessity and importance of this mission,” Gabriel replied.

“Aww, Reyes you shouldn’t have,” Kallista replied sarcastically.

“I am serious Kallista. I gave this mission to you because you are the best of the best. I know that I can trust you to get what Overwatch and Blackwatch need and you’ll do it efficiently,” the man said as he looked firmly at the woman sitting in front of his desk.

He trusted her.

He depended on her.

It had barely been four years since she was forced into Blackwatch, she had been under tight scrutiny since she had joined but now she was one of his most trusted agents, his Intelligence Director, his trump card.

There were days where she thought of the what ifs, what if she hadn't been caught, what if she died, what if she was captured on a mission, what would happen to her?  Would they come for her? What would happen to them ? Did she even mean anything to him? The thought usually ended bitterly and left her in a foul mood. Casualties were expected, she was no different. It was trivial, but it started to cross her mind a lot more recently.

“So much praise Reyes,” Kallista grinned cheekily as she ran a hand through her hair, pushing back those pointless thoughts.

“Kallista,” Gabriel warned.

“I get it, I get it,“ Kallista sighed as she crossed her arms.

“Don’t leave before you see me,”

“Alright, I’ll start getting ready now,” Kallista said as she headed towards the door.

“Hey, Reyes…why are you so stressed about this mission?” Kallista started as she stopped in front of the door, her curiosity getting the best of her.

“It’s in the mission details,” Gabriel replied.

“Thought so...” Kallista trailed off as she quickly left his office.

* * *

 

She felt stupid for even asking, she knew he wasn’t going to say anything, why would he? Shaking her head to clear her thoughts she made her way from his office and headed towards the Blackwatch Division, lost in her own thoughts. She pulled out her cell phone as she pushed through the doors and stumbled over her footing. She ignored the misstep and continued when suddenly she stumbled again dropping everything in her hands.

“F-fuck…” Kallista choked as she grasped the right side of her head.

Another painful migraine, some were fleeting, some were persistent and left her with temporary blindness, nose bleeds, or just left her disoriented and unable to function at full capacity. Kallista clenched her jaw as she attempted to will herself through the pain, she had a mission she needed to complete and knew that she would be taken off if he knew about it. She steadied herself before she reached down to pick up the things she dropped, she reached for the datapad first. The once bright glow of the pad was darkened, hazy, almost gray. She thought back to her check up with Angela, the woman had mentioned that there were going to be some adverse side effects, color loss, blindness were just a couple of side effects.

She steadied herself before she reached down to pick up the things she dropped, she reached for the datapad first. The once bright glow of the pad was darkened, hazy, almost gray. She thought back to her check up with Angela, the woman had mentioned that there were going to be some adverse side effects, color loss, blindness were just a couple of side effects.

Slowly exhaling Kallista allowed her eyes to slide close as she attempted to control her breathing. She needed to be calm, she needed to be focused, she needed to do this without any problems, there was no room for mistakes. He gave her missions that he knew that she would get done, he knew that he could depend on her to get the mission done efficiently and effectively.

_He trusted her._

_He depended on her, and she wasn’t going to disappoint._

* * *

 

“Look at you...keeping an eye on the mission…” Morrison commented as he leaned on the doorsill.

“Don’t you have  important things to do?” Gabriel asked as he continued to look at the various information streaming on the screen in front of him.

“Of course I’m working,” Morrison chuckled.

“Right...what can I do for you, Morrison?” Gabriel asked.

“Just checking on you and the mission status...you gave it to Kallista didn’t you?” Morrison asked.

“I’m fine, the mission is fine and yes...I did give it to her,” Gabriel replied. Morrison chuckled a bit as he continued to look at Gabriel from the doorway. Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at his friend in the doorway.

“What now?”

“Nothing…” Morrison said as he started towards the man.

“So far everything is going smoothly…” Gabriel began.

“Good. We need everything we can get on Talon and Null sector,” Morrison said as he looked through the information that was being sent back.

“Yeah,” Gabriel replied.

“Worried?” Morrison asked as he continued to look through the information.

“No,” He replied.

“Truthfully?”

“...If I knew she couldn’t handle it, I wouldn’t have given it to her,” Gabriel replied.

“I guess so...I would be worried if someone I cared about went on a dangerous mission,” Morrison spoke up.

“I guess that’s why you’re already graying,” Gabriel commented causing Morrison to laugh.

“Hey, the hair was a low blow,” Morrison chuckled.

“Well it looks like you must be really worried then,” Gabriel replied

“At least I'm able to admit it,” Morrison replied.

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Gabriel huffed.

“Right. Right. Stubborn as usual. You'll see,” Morrison said as he patted the man on the back, Gabriel scoffed.

“Keep me updated,” Morrison sand as he headed towards the door.

“Yeah. Yeah yeah,” Gabriel waved the man’s suggestion off.

The soft hiss of the door opening and closing let him of Morrisons exit. Three days had passed since the recon mission had departed to Lithuania, even though he had complete trust in Kallista and her team, he still kept an eye on the mission status. So far it was still in the green, he was more than eager to hear about the updates and their projected return status. They were in the last stages it was only a matter of time.

In the meantime Gabriel kept tabs on other missions located in Europe, to keep his mind focused and clear, to keep his mind from thinking back to when she tried to ask him something before she left.

Before she left, he checked over her gear. It was something he used to do for Jesse, Malik, and a few others and now he did it to her. It new for her but it put his mind at ease to know that he had gear that was going to protect her to some extent. The only difference was that he gave her something to hold onto and asked her to return it upon her return. He kicked himself for doing something like that, it was stupid but the mission he sent her on made him uneasy.

Everything about this mission made him uneasy.

_“Commander Reyes,”_

Gabriel looked over his shoulder at the voice that called to him, it was Aleks. He turned his attention from the digital war table and onto the young man himself. Aleks noticed that the man was looking at the mission in Lithuania and smaller windows of other missions that other Blackwatch agents were on.

“Aleks, what’s up?” Gabriel said as he took off the headset and gave the man his attention. Aleks hesitated as he approached his commander.

“uh..we have a…bit of a problem...sir,” Aleks trailed off.

“Explain,”

Aleks watched the man’s relaxed demeanor change, at that point he knew that the man in front of him was completely different. Expressionless, focused, ready to act, everyone knew that the man was the most dangerous and unpredictable.

“Explain,” Gabriel said again as he approached the man.

Aleks hesitated, he knew he had to tell Reyes the bad news about the mission even if he knew that things would turn out like that. Everyone in the intel department knew that he was hiding his stress about sending Kallista on this sensitive mission, but they also knew that she would be the best one to head the team. She essentially was his trump card for the sensitive missions.

“The recon group in Lithuania...was...ambushed,”

“Ambushed? How? What’s their status? Tell me,” Gabriel asked. Again Aleks hesitated.

“Spit it out,” Gabriel urged him

“We.. lost communication with… Director Kaines and the other agents,” Aleks began.

“What do you mean you lost communication with them?”

* * *

 

Her vision was hazy as she looked at the man in front of her, any signs of where she could be were gone, the sounds of generators and the echoes outside the door behind the man led her to believe that she was in a warehouse. She didn’t have time to recollect her thoughts when the stinging pain of a slap went across her face, jarring her entire form.

_“Give me their location…”_

“Burn in hell,” Kallista hissed.

There were chains were wrapped around her wrists as she hung partially suspended from the ceiling, her feet a few inches above the ground. The masked man chuckled as he circled around her.

“I wanted to be nice to you agent…you’re much different than the other Overwatch agents,” the man said as he ran a hand down her back. Kallista attempted to shake the man’s hand off of her, the man laughed as he brushed a few strands of her hair from her face.

“I don’t want your fake kindness, mate. I know who you are and what you want,” Kallista laughed weakly.

Kallista had been captured by Talon after being separated from her reconnaissance team by a concussive grenade. During the chaos, she had managed to help the other agent escape but was subdued and taken captive. She had no idea of the condition of her team, how long she had been missing or if Blackwatch was actively looking for her, she barely had her thoughts together.

“What a haughty British accent you have there...I’m impressed. If you help me, I can help you and be a little lenient with some things,” he started.

“I'm the wrong person to be lenient with,” Kallista sighed as she attempted to move. The man reached out to grasp her chin.

“You’re so feisty, I like that,” The man chuckled. Kallista spat at the man, the man struck her hard across the face.

“You need to understand your situation girl. I could kill you at a moment’s notice, so it would be wise for you to answer my questions,” the man said as he began circling around her again. Kallista scoffed at the man’s threat and spat blood to the floor.

“What’s stopping ya?” Kallista murmured.

“Information. Now, where is Overwatch’s next strike planned?

“Good question,” Kallista replied. He struck her again.

“Names and locations,”

“I don't know…,” Kallista replied. Again he struck her.

“Overwatch terminal access points,”

“No,” Kallista chuckled.

He struck her again and again. Blood dripped from her lips as she hung limply from the chains, the masked man grunted in annoyance as he wiped his bloodied hands on a towel. Discarding the towel he turned his attention to the syringe that laid on the table behind her.

“I suppose I had too much hope for you to be cooperative with me. My mistake,” the man said from behind her. His heavy footsteps echoed in her ear as he approached her from behind. He stood in front of her, an arm behind his back. He sighed heavily as he grasped her chin and turned her head to the side inspecting the wounds he caused to her face.

The man jerked Kallista’s head to the side preventing her from seeing what he held behind his back. A quick sharp pain and the feeling of a cool liquid entering into her system, she yelped and hissed as she instantly felt a numbing sensation traveling over her body. Immediately she felt the effects of the serum he injected into her, tears welled in the corners of her eyes as blistering pain flooded her body, flooded her veins making the room spin around her. A heavy fog clouded her mind attempting to drown out all of her senses. The blistering sensation traveled through her limbs, clawing at her mind, strange shapes and colors filled her vision as she looked at the man.

“What...the fuck...did you do to me?” Kallista hissed as she felt her body slump against the chains as the thick stagnant fog continued to slither around her mind.

“It’s an old method...with new components...this is a prototype truth serum,” the man replied.

“W-What?” Kallista asked as her eyes drooped closed, her body was shutting down in reaction to the truth serum he injected in her.

A sharp slap across her face jolted her awake.

“Eyes on me agent,” the man chuckled.

Kallista sputtered blood as she tried to keep her eyes focused on the man in front of her. The serum wreaked havoc on her mind and body, pain that seemed to scorch her skin, pain that froze her limbs, organs and sucked the breath from her lungs.

“Now let’s try this again agent. Tell me what I want to know and I can help end the pain of that serum...,” the masked man began as he cupped her chin.

“ _Vete a la verga culero,_ ” Kallista hissed. The man scoffed at the woman’s curse

“And you speak Spanish as well. Again, Overwatch access points... where are they?”

Kallista choked on her words as she felt her throat tighten, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

“Where are they?”

“ _No lo sé_ …” Kallista’s voice wavered. The colors, sights, sounds around her overwhelmed her. Her thoughts blended together shapes morphed into weird unnatural shapes, the man’s appearance changed completely in front of her.  Her throat was dry and slowly tightened, her tongue felt swollen. It was too much.

“Well, agent? Where. Are. They?” the man asked. Kallista remained silent as she tried to

“N-New Mexico...” Kallista blurted.

“America? What’s in New Mexico, agent?” the man asked.

“Deserts. Lots of them. D-Did you really think I ...would give you info that quickly...” Kallista laughed breathlessly.

The man backhanded her again.

“ _Hueles a mierda_ …” Kallista sighed as she spat blood. The man’s fist collided with her abdomen causing her to slump against the chains coughing.

“You want to spit blood hm? I’ll give you a reason to spit more. Get me another syringe,” the man barked to one of the guards by the door.

“Your stubbornness will get you killed girl,” the man hissed as he tilted Kallista’s head up to look at him, Kallista grinned at the man her vision was hazy but she could tell that the grin made him angry.

“I hope you can run fast...the wolf and his pack are coming,” Kallista spat.

“The Strike Commander?” the man asked.

“No. Something...much worse,” Kallista replied, a small smile on her lips before darkness took her.

* * *

 

The floor was cold, her vision dark and gray with hints of vibrant colors on various objects in the warehouse. She couldn’t tell how much time has passed, how many times she was drugged. Her body was numb and empty, an empty shell of who she was. She had nearly lost all of her senses and was on the verge of succumbing to the serum. The soft hum of the generators in the building lulled her into darkness, her eyes slid close.

_“Kalli--”_

_“Kallista--!”_

_“Shit is she--”_

_“Shut up, don’t you dare say some stupid shit like--”_

_“S-Sorry…”_

A soft whimper escaped her lips as the warmth of the body began to warm her skin

“C’mon Kallista say something...anything...,”

“...doya...” Kallista choked out.

“That’s it, I’m fucking murdering everyone here,”

“Calm down,” Idoya hissed

“What do you mean calm down? You see the state that she’s in?! There’s no way that I’m letting any of these bastards live” Natalie growled.

The two women focused on the woman that Idoya gingerly held in her arms. Idoya’s golden brown eyes quickly scanned over Kallista’s body looking for any pressing wound that would need to be treated immediately. There was none, but she was bloodied, bruised and broken. Idoya noticed that the woman had yet to open her eyes nor did it look like she was breathing. Panic seeped into Idoya’s chest as she quickly leaned down to hear a breath and to check for a pulse, it was faint but there.

“Dios mio,” Idoya sighed in relief.

“Lobo this is your favorite Snake here...we found her,”

 _[Her condition?]_  

The two looked at each other silently, Natalie glanced at Kallista and then back to Idoya.

“She’s alive...but in really bad shape,” Idoya replied.

They both knew that the man was anxious to find her, they were too. They had barely managed to locate her before they had reached the critical point of her disappearance. Ten hours missing and two hours away from a mission critical and another agent possibly lost to the field. There was silence on the other side of their communication links, the two women noticed the long pause before the man responded to them.

 _[...Hold your position…]_  

“Understood,” Both of the women replied

“You heard that? “ Idoya said as she looked at the angry woman next to her.

“I dunno if I can wait...he’s mad...I’m mad. We’re all fucking mad,” Natalie growled in irritation as she paced around the two women on the ground.

“We wait,” Idoya replied firmly. She knew that Natalie was a senior agent, but she knew that the plan that was in motion needed to continue as planned in order to rescue Kallista safely, they were smack dab in the middle of enemy territory.

 _[What is the extent of her injuries? Can she walk? ]_  

Another voice crackled into to the women’s communication link, a female’s voice called out to both of them. It was Lyudmila, that spoke to them.

“I don’t know if she can walk...she doesn’t even seem to be conscious,” Idoya replied.

_[ Is she breathing?]_

“She’s breathing...I can’t fully tell her injuries...but there’s bruising on her face, dried blood, tattered clothing...I wouldn’t be too surprised if there were any broken bones,” Idoya listed off some of the injuries that she could see.

“I don’t have anything on me to help her...,” Natalie added.

“Me either,” Idoya added

There was a soft sigh and a string of Russian from the other side of their communication devices. Another person that had been on edge. For any mission, they were usually equipped with one of Lyudmila’s Adrenaline Cocktail, but because the rescue raid had been hastily put together only a few had them left over, Natalie and Idoya the first ones to find Kallista had none on them.

In a matter of minutes, Gabriel quickly followed by Jesse entered the room. Gabriel was instantly over the unconscious woman.

“Holy shit, she losin’ blood?” Jesse commented.

“No there’s no signs of her bleeding,” Idoya replied.

He knelt next to her, his eyes quickly scanning over her and the injuries he could see. Her body was littered with cuts, bruises, she had swelling on her face and who knows what other injuries the woman had underneath her ripped clothing.

“Kallista speak to me,” Gabriel said softly as he gently caressed her bloodied face.

“.... “

“Kallista...c’mon...“ the man urged as he took off a glove and checked her pulse on her neck. It was faint.

“ _Respóndeme_ Kallista,” the man ordered firmly, dread began to spread through him.

“Kalli--”

“....Re...yes…?” Kallista uttered the man’s name almost inaudible from her lips.

“Kallista we’re here…stay with me. Jesse give me the blood analyzer,” Gabriel ordered.

_[Lobo...Bones checking in--]_

_[Hold your position]_

Gabriel heard Lyudmila give an order as he quickly tended to the woman, he noticed the woman’s lack of response to the needle piercing her skin as he took blood.

“I don’t know how much longer I can just stand here, Gabe I need to--” Natalie started.

“Not now Vy,” Gabriel replied as she looked at Kallista’s dark blood. Out the corner of his eye he could see the younger woman tense up and was about to respond, Jesse placed a hand on Natalie’s shoulder to calm her down. A soft beep chimed in the silence, the analyzer sounded as it finished analyzing the woman’s blood.

“She has a high amount of ethanol, scopolamine, 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate, midazolam, flunitrazepam, sodium thiopental,” Gabriel hissed. He knew exactly what the concoction was in her system, he had used it several times before, but now uses it as a last resort.

_[ Fuck Gabi...they drugged her with truth serum?]_

_[Truth Serum?]_

_[They used truth serum on Kalli?!]_

_[That’s what is sounds like…]_

“Linda. I’m transferring this information to you now. Send this information to Angela and prepare to give her treatment when we return to the carrier,” Gabriel said as he handed the small device back to Jesse.

 _[Waiting for orders, Lobo]_  

“Kallista stay with us,” Idoya said as she brushed some of the woman’s hair from her face.

 _[Lobo, your adrenaline cocktail. It’s temporary...but it should help until you return to the carrier.]_  

“Nat, Jesse, check the perimeter. We are leaving,” Gabriel said as he took out a syringe full of an orange colored concoction and quickly injected the woman with the liquid watching her once furrowed brow relaxing as the liquid entered her system.

“We have to do something. I’m not leaving here without causing some type of damage to them,” Natalie spoke up as she moved around the warehouse.

“An eye for an eye, right Reyes?” Jesse said casually as he went the opposite way of Natalie.

“More importantly we have to get Kallista out of here,” Idoya added.

The three agents turned their attention to the man, his attention was focused on the woman in Idoya’s arms.

“Magnus access the video feed in this place. I want the bastard that did this to her. Aleks make sure you take all the information you can from this place. We are bringing this place down,” Gabriel said as he gently took Kallista from Idoya.

_[You got it, boss]_

_[Understood]_

Jesse, Natalie, and Idoya looked at the man surprised as they watched him carefully stand with the woman in his arms. Jesse chuckled a bit as he looked at the man, he knew that he was royally pissed and what he says goes. They quickly glanced at each other and then back to the man.

“Really?” Idoya asked.

“Do not make me repeat myself,” Gabriel replied, his voice low hiding the anger the bubbled inside of him.

“Well shit,” Natalie smirked.

“Well Alright, Alright, Alright,” Jesse smirked.

“He’s serious…” Idoya whispered as she looked at Jesse and then back to Gabriel.

_[Understood.]_

_[Seriously Lobo?]_

_[ Well shit let’s do this]_

_[Ayyy~! Time to fuck some shit up! Lo mejor está por venir...Talon…]_

_[Roger]._

_[Fuck Yeah let’s do this.]_

_[No snakes left alive]_

_[Those who hurt Kalli doesn’t deserve mercy]_

_[D-Don’t get hurt, everyone]_  

Various voices of the Blackwatch agents responded to the man’s order. They all knew it was rare for him to give an order like this, they all knew what happened was unforgivable and was not to be excused so easily. He was going to make everyone in the Talon base pay for what they did, what they did to her. He would burn everything down and leave nothing behind.

“This whole place is coming down I swear,” Natalie said she checked her gun for ammo.

“No one gets away wit’ hurtin’ our lil’ queen and lives,” Jesse smirked as he looked at Kallista.

“Fuck no. I’ll make sure of it,” Natalie chuckled.

“Jesse you’re with me, Idoya, Natalie go ahead,” Gabriel ordered.

“Roger,” Idoya said as she gripped her bat.

“You got it, boss,” Natalie said as the two went ahead.

“We’re gettin’ you outta of here Kalli...don’t worry,” Jesse said as she nodded to Gabriel.

_[Everyone provide Lobo cover, Froli and I will remain in our positions and provide cover outside. Your commander gave you orders you are to follow them without hesitation.]_

Lyudmila’s voice echoed on their communication links giving the agents further orders.

_[We move. The pack of wolves are on the hunt…]_

* * *

 

It was 3AM when Gabriel and his team returned, he was there waiting for them. He didn’t need to be but he was there for them. He expected there to be of a ruckus when they returned but instead greeted with orders being barked and the woman they went to rescue being rushed off to the med bay with Gabriel in tow. He didn’t know the extent of her injuries or what had happened but waited to find out later. He was tired, they were tired, all he wanted was sleep.

It was 4AM when Jack and Gabriel returned to the man’s office, he knew that sleep was not on the list of things that needed to happen. Gabriel sighed heavily as he leaned back in his chair he glanced at the man across from him before his eyes slid closed.

“You’re not off the hook yet, Reyes. You know that was a shitty mission plan,” Morrison sighed tiredly.

“It was a mission success. What of it?” Gabriel replied.

“You understand what I’m getting at right?” Morrison asked as he leaned on his desk.

“Humor me. I haven’t slept in almost 32 hours,” Gabriel replied.

“You’re willing to go out of your way to save her knowing that the information your team gather could have been a waste of time a waste of resources. You know you should have been ready to let her go if you needed to, You’re too attached to her,” Morrison said bluntly.

Gabriel leaned forward in his chair as he held Morrison’s gaze.

“Let me tell you a secret...Jack,” Gabriel started.

“Humor me, Gabe,”

“If I can help it I will rescue any of my agents within my power I will do it. No man left behind. I had the intel, I trusted my crew and I went for it. Nothing more and nothing less,,” Gabriel replied. Morrison scoffed at the man’s little ‘secret’.

“I understand, but guns blazing into a Talon base? A hastily put together plan? ” Morrison commented.

“It was tactful and it gave us important information on Talon. This was a win-win situation,” Gabriel replied.

“Whatever. Please spare me. You’re always so dramatic. Just admit it and I’ll let it slide,” Morrison sighed.

“Really? We’re doing this now? Admit what?” Gabriel sighed as he leaned back into the chair.

“Like I said when you break your neck to rescue her that raises a lot of questions,” Morrison said.

“Whatever you say,” Gabriel said as he shrugged. Morrison sighed heavily and cracked his neck. The blond then focused back on the tired man.

“You’re so stubborn, so I’m not going to let this go that easily, Gabe. Not only did you risk the lives of your agents, you ignored the treaties and laws that prevent Overwatch let alone Blackwatch in countries being patrolled by the Russian government.,” Morrison said.

“Oh, you’re smart. Real smart. Gold star boy scout,” Gabriel said sarcastically.

“Your sarcasm knows no bounds, Gabe,” Morrison sighed tiredly.

“Only for those who deserve it. I’m not giving you the satisfaction of anything,” the man replied.

“Your loss, I’ll make sure to mention your name to Petras when he attempts to chew me out. Anyway, when was the last time you checked in on your _Intel director_?” Morrison asked setting all jokes aside.

“Three hours ago,”

“Is she ok? Any abnormalities? Any SEP effects?” Morrison asked.

“No. Nothing abnormal thankfully, She’s recovering according to Angela...also she’s getting a new addition to the Doctor’s division?” Gabriel asked.

“Yes and soon. Seraphina Hasibuan. An excellent addition to the medical team, Angela, and a few others sought her out to join the Overwatch team. Really promising for what they need to do,” Morrison said as he rubbed his temples.

“We’re moving quickly...for once,” Gabriel commented.

“He’s an important asset. It would be as waste to wait any longer. You and I both know this,” Morrison replied.

“You’re actually listening to me for once. Wow. I’m impressed,” Gabriel said

“Now...only if you would do the same for me,” Morrison chuckled.

“For some things,” Gabriel yawned.

“Alright, you can get out my office now. I gotta clean up after your mess,” Morrison smirked.

“I clean up after you all the time boy scout,” Gabriel replied.

“Go get some rest,”

“Sounds like someone is butthurt,” Gabriel said chuckled as he stood and made his way to the door.

“Get out of my office Reyes,”

* * *

 

“You still haven’t slept yet, Commander Reyes?” Angela’s voice called out to him. Gabriel yawned as strolled into the med bay and over to the woman, she looked just as tired as he did perhaps a little worse. Angela and her team had been working on a side project while they still assisted on field missions when they needed to.

“Not yet...I wanted to make sure there weren’t any mutations or anything along those lines with her,” Gabriel said.

“I understand but I am fully capable of taking care of her and aware of her condition, you don’t need to be a helicopter commander, please get some rest while you can,” Angela replied.

“Wow Angie, that was kinda a low blow. A helicopter commander,” Gabriel repeated the woman's words before the gave a tired laugh.

“I’ve been wanting to try that out for the longest time,” Angela chuckled.

“I wonder where you learned that from...anyway what’s her status?” Gabriel asked changing the focus of the conversation. Angela slouched in her chair and sighed heavily.

“She’s gonna be fine Gabriel...her body just needs to metabolize the remnants of the drug and she may possibly need a cleanse afterward. She has a few bruised bones, contusions...just a bit beat up. She’s going to be quite sore for some time” Angela sighed.

“That’s better than what I expected. ” 

“I can say that I am glad that you were able to get to her in time. If you were a day later, she would have died a not so nice slow death from the poisoning,” Angela commented. Gabriel crossed his arms as he glanced at the woman who casually lounged in her chair..

“That’s not what I wanted to hear Angie,” Gabriel sighed.

“ _Eine minute_ Gabriel,! The most important point is that you saved her,” Angela quickly followed up. Gabriel sighed again as he looked at Kallista resting on one of the many empty beds in the woman’s office.

“This is what her third time in my office? She’s not the reckless kind..but yet she’s here...again,” Angela commented.

“Unfortunately….” Gabriel commented.

“Yes...well...I plan to get some rest...I feel like death’s incarnate,” Angela giggled softly.

“Yeah. Get some rest slouching is bad for your posture,” Gabriel chuckled.

“Says the one I’m always correcting,” Angela replied.

“You’re right...but it’s unbecoming for a teacher to slouch in front of her student,” Gabriel added.

“Oh hush, I am completely exhausted. Anyhoo, please do not stay up too long. Goodnight Gabriel,” the woman started as she stood, stretching as she headed towards the door, leaving the two of them alone.

Quietly, Gabriel approached the woman looking at the stitches on her lips and bandages covering her arms, chest and legs. The glimpse of gold glittered around her neck, he had given her his golden cross pendant, a gift from his mother a long time ago.  It was a bittersweet moment, she was safe but badly hurt, it seemed to be no matter how much he tried to keep her away from danger it always came after her. A reconnaissance mission gone wrong, their location was prime for what they needed to do. He remembered the apprehension he felt before he gave it over to her.

_Gain information on a small Talon base in Lithuania. A country underneath the Russian government, a country where Overwatch had been barred from. It was risky but needed to gain an upper hand on Talon and their next move._

All of the recon missions she had conducted and participated in prepared her for this. With all of her training and skills he knew that she was best for this specific mission, he had to make a choice.There was no other way around it, what happened, happened and now he had to deal with it. He knew that he had to wait until she recovered until she could debrief him on the mission. It was a success but left behind so many questions.

“You did good Kallista…” Gabriel said in a hushed whisper.

“Info...did we get it?” Kallista’s voice cracked.

“I’m not sure yet,”

“Lovely,” Kallista sighed

“You did better than I expected. Saving your teammates...and staying alive,” Gabriel whispered.

“Breaking your expectations like usual. I guess I am alive huh...” Kallista mumbled.

“You are...but you need rest,” Gabriel said.

“I feel so loopy though...is this what it’s like to be high? Like what is real...am I real? Are you real?” Kallista asked as she reached up to touch his face. Gabriel grimaced as she poked his nose and gently pulled on his facial hair.

“I’m real, so are you,” Gabriel said as he gently lowered her hand back to the bed.

“Are you sure? And you’re not saying that just so I’ll shut up?” Kallista asked.

“Kallista,” Gabriel warned, Kallista giggled.

“You need to rest,” Gabriel said again, more firmly letting her know that she should rest.

“Resting is so boring though...” Kallista trailed off.

“I swear to God Kallista if you get out of this bed without being cleared by Angela I will strap you to this bed,” Gabriel threatened.

“Is that what you’re into Reyes?” Kallista laughed.

“Why?” Gabriel replied.

“Because you know...I asked?” Kallista questioned herself.

“You don’t even know what you’re asking me anymore. Go to sleep,” Gabriel chuckled

“I do...I’m just a...little...tired is all...don’t make fun of me,” Kallista whispered as her eyes drooped close.

“You talk too much and you’re not even drunk. Good night Kallista,” Gabriel chuckled.

“Pendejo,” Kallista murmured as she slipped into much-needed sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough Translations:  
> Vete a la verga culero - Fuck you asshole  
> Hueles a mierda - You smell like shit  
> Lo mejor está por venir...Talon…- The best is yet to come, Talon


	13. Omitted

**Early 2064**

* * *

 

"What do you mean I'll be on desk duty?" Kallista questioned.

"You heard me. I don't need to repeat myself," Gabriel replied.

The man leaned back onto his desk with his arms crossed as he looked at the now angry woman standing in front of him. Their conversation didn't start off this way, but he knew that it was coming. He knew this was one of the few times she was able to be on the field she was being pulled off again.

"What am I doing wrong that you'd pull me from the field?" Kallista questioned.

"Kallista…" Gabriel warned.

"No. Don't Kallista me. Every time I have the smallest injury or there's a complication you immediately pull me off the field. Why?" Kallista continued.

"Why are you questioning me now?" Gabriel countered.

"Because it pertains to me. Now answer me, "Kallista replied firmly.

"You're in no position to demand answers let alone question me Kallista," Gabriel retorted.

"I'm doing it now," Kallista crossed her arms over her chest, she bit her tongue to keep from giving any sign of pain that still racked her body. Gabriel sighed heavily as he looked at Kallista, she didn't know. She didn't know how much he fought with himself actually put her on the field.

"With your position you shouldn't even be on the field, you should be lucky that I even let you go," Gabriel replied.

"Oh! So you're granting me the special opportunity to be on the field..."Kallista trailed off sarcastically.

"Cut the bullshit Kallista. You know what your job is. You know what you're really here for,"

"I have several jobs that I do here. You and I both know this. Don't fucking use that stipulation on why I'm here as an excuse to pull me from the field. You use that as an excuse when you know damn well that Malik is never in fit condition to be on the field. What's going to happen when he fucking finally breaks down? What's going-" Kallista started, her voice rising in anger as she spoke.

"Lower your fucking voice when you talk to me. Malik's condition isn't your concern, he's mine. You follow my orders on and off the field. Is that clear? When you have been cleared I will consider putting you back on the field again. Until then you are here and that's final," Gabriel growled

Malik and-" Kallista started.

"I said enough. This is no longer up for discussion," Gabriel said firmly, his anger rising as the little quarrel dragged on.

Kallista approached the man stopping a few feet in front of him, she stared at him for a moment before frowning, Gabriel, frowning, remained unfazed by the woman's anger.

"You're walking a fine line today Kallista," Gabriel warned the woman of her behavior.

"Am I? What are you going to do? Dismiss me?" Kallista questioned, her voice void of emotion.

Gabriel's gaze was heavy, angry, disappointed in her behavior, she didn't know that he hesitated every time to put her on the field. He didn't want her condition to worsen, he didn't want to see her bruised and broken not if he could help it. He was going to make sure of even if it meant causing a rift between them.

"Stop trying to play fucking protector," Kallista growled.

"I can do whatever I fucking want, you better watch your mouth," Gabriel growled.

"You know damn well you can't protect everyone so come off your fucking high horse and get it through your fucking head Reyes," Kallista spat back.

"Do  **not** tell me what I can and cannot do. I could have fucking left you in that base, but I didn't because you're a part of the fucking team Kallista. Don't act all high and mighty because you're a hacker with skill. I can actually depend on Malik to pull the fucking trigger and not freeze since you want to talk about Malik so much. You're not special and you sure as hell don't get special treatment. You belong behind a screen not with a gun in your hand-"

_ SMACK! _

Gabriel stumbled slightly from the impact of her hand coming into contact with his cheek.

"You should have left me in that fucking warehouse to die if I am that expendable to you, and this fucking organization," Kallista replied her British accent heavy with each word. She yanked off the gold cross pendant from her neck and threw it at him.

The sharp pain of the slap jolted him into realization as to what he had done, what he had done and what she had thrown at him. He rubbed his cheek as he reached down to pick up his pendant and placed it on his desk. Slowly he dragged a hand down his face, a growl of frustration rumbled in his chest. Is this what he wanted, is this how he wanted things to be?

Anger and frustration clouded his mind as he rubbed his temples, he could feel the low throb of a headache as it grew stronger in the back of his head. Another growl rumbled in his chest as he kicked the chair next to him. He knew she didn't understand what he saw, she didn't understand how he felt, he didn't even understand how he felt.

Gabriel sat on the edge of his desk as he pinched the bridge of his nose, he mentally kicked himself for practically shouting at her. They were both caught up in the heat of the moment saying things that they didn't truly believe or want to happen or so he hoped. He made a mental note to apologize to her when they both cooled down.

Kallista furiously made her way to her bedroom, she was a soldier just like everyone else why would she be treated differently.

"If I was expendable he should have just left me there. Fucking piece of shit," Kallista cursed as if it would make her feel better.

"He's such an asshole, why did I even bother," Kallista sighed.

She ran her hands through her hair, pulling slightly at her roots in frustration, but truthfully she was thankful that he came for her. Thinking back on it, she was already four years into her service with Blackwatch, she had no loyalty before, and now she would have given her life to keep Blackwatch a secret. She grimaced at the thought of dying and wondered when did she become so loyal to the organization that wanted to put her in a maximum security prison. 

When did she let that happen?

Kallista stood silently in the middle of her room frustrated as she gingerly held her ribs, it had only been a day since she was rescued and maybe not even a full 24 hours of her recovering. She couldn't sit still, she wouldn't allow herself to do it. She had fought with Dr. Ziegler and some of her assistants to be able to be on her feet, of course, they weren't going to clear her she still needed to heal.

_ \-- Director Kaines, the Intelligence Department has tried to contact you several times. I recommend returning their call. -- _

"Thank you, Athena…" Kallista said as she grabbed her cellphone on her desk, the simple motion sent pain shooting through her body. A sharp cry erupted from her lips as she buckled against her desk, barely catching herself. There wasn't a single part of her body that wasn't sore, bruised or felt as if it was on fire, she had to bite her tongue to keep from crying out from every motion. It hurt but she kept quiet.

She was stubborn and knew that he saw through her farce, even, so the words he said hurt just as bad as the pain that wreaked havoc over her body.

She was in pain and he saw it. She knew he did.

Heavily leaning on her desk she pushed herself up grasping her cell phone. She would deal with the pain after she did what she needed to do. Willing herself through the pain, she straightened her back and headed for the Intelligence department.

* * *

 

Kallista was greeted with soft electronica music, dimmed lights, the glow of the holographic screens of the terminals that lined the back wall and a large holographic screen with a message and a name that was familiar to her.

" _ Dead Bloodhound _ ?" Linda said as she looked at the large holographic screen floating in front of everyone.

"What is this?" Kallista asked.

"We were sent this yesterday while you were recovering," Aleks replied.

"Is there a trace on this message?" Kallista asked.

"None," Aleks replied.

"I found where it slipped through and already sealed it. We don't have to worry about any malware attached to the message or in the system. Essentially it's like a piece of paper that's been slipped underneath a door.," Aleks said.

"None of our systems have been compromised…" Linda added. Kallista placed a hand on her hip as she continued to stare at the message.

"Kallista...is this…" Magnus started.

"It's related to those incidents...aren't they?" Malik spoke up.

Kallista's sharp blue eyes focused on Malik's black and golden speckled eyes before she turned away from the man. Gabriel's words still cutting deep. Malik's noted the woman's icy stare and remained silent.

"I don't know," Kallista replied.

"What do you mean you don't know, we can tell you obviously recognize this," Magnus spoke up.

"That doesn't automatically mean that I know the connection," Kallista bit back.

"Well, Miss Director, don't you think it's too convenient for this message to appear right after the kidnapping, right after you were rescued?" Magnus accused.

"I'm not a fucking bloody wizard Magnus, I don't know if it's connected to the Cheshire Cat Incidents," Kallista hissed as she turned in Magnus' direction.

"Or is that because you don't want to know?" Magnus questioned.

"You're questioning my loyalty, Magnus," Kallista stated.

"You're withholding information-"

"From who?!" Kallista cut the man off.

"Enough. Both of you. We're not going to get anywhere with this," Aleks spoke up and broke the tension that had grow to permeate through the room.

Everyone in the room could feel the tension between the two as they silently stared at each other. Magnus was the first to look away and back to his screen, and brushed off the woman’s anger towards him.  Kallista knew who this came from, she knew all too well. Kallista glared at the message on the screen, her jaw clenched, her hands balled into fists.

**_\- If you are reading this...you know already know why I have contacted you. There is a war upon us, a war that a is long time coming. The gods have been asleep for far too long. It is time to wake up and wreck havoc among those who ravage the weak. You know this. I know this. We never forgive, We never forget. It is time that our goddess rises again. -_ **

Malik watched silently as the woman seemed to seethe with anger. He knew that it was very rare to see the woman lose her cool, for her to argue and fight with their comrades, she never lost her cool, calm and collected self. He already knew that she was up and moving around against Doctor's orders but something else must have caused her to act like this, to give him that icy stare a few moments earlier.

"It sounds like someone is telling you to wake up Kallista," Malik commented. He noted the woman's silence at his comment and her refusal to acknowledge him.

"We have to let Commander Reyes know," Linda was the first to speak up.

"No," Kallista replied.

"No? What do you mean No?" Magnus asked.

"Director Kaines we have to let-"

"I said no. We don't know if this is connected or not, we will wait." Kallista said firmly as she looked at her team.

"Director Kaines please reconsider-" Aleks began.

"I will not repeat myself again," Kallista glared at the man. Aleks quickly studied the woman before deciding to hold his tongue.

"Fine," Aleks replied as he focused onto his monitor.

"Get that message off the screen. What's the status on the info from the Talon base?" Kallista asked as she gingerly touched her ribs.

"We have names of agents and leads on where funds are funneling in from…" Linda started.

"We already sent in what mission's information to Reyes," Magnus added bitterly.

"And other missions?" Kallista asked.

"Delayed, but they are starting up again. Some of the agents that were on your rescue mission were called in to assist on the raid…" Malik added.

Kallista bit down on her bottom lip to keep herself from shouting, everything seemed to continue to go down hill since she was rescued, if she knew that he was going to do this she would have rather died in that warehouse. She clicked her tongue and ran a hand through her hair, she was still heated from the argument with Reyes maybe 20 minutes earlier and now a message that was clearly directed towards her.

" _ Eh, no te preocupes por eso Kalli...Gabi estaba preocupado por ti _ ," Malik said as he studied her.

" _ no significa nada, Malik _ ," Kallista replied bitterly as she crossed her arms.

"I didn't think you were that dense Kallista," Malik laughed.

"I am not dense. It's not important. None of that is important," Kallista retorted.

"You know that's a lie. Why are you in denial about this?" Malik replied as he slouched in his chair smugly.

"Because I don't mean a damn thing apparently. Like I said none of this is beneficial to the situation at hand. I am just a lowly desk jockey that doesn't need a gun, " Kallista started. Malik sat up in his chair as he looked at the woman.

" _ Y'all need to calm down. I could hear y'all in the hallway," _

Everyone in the room turned their attention to the petite woman that had entered the room. Kallista and Malik turned their attention to the woman entering the room. Magnus leaned back in his chair as he watched Natalie stand next to their director.

"Natalie," Kallista stated as she continued to look ahead at the large holographic screen with information flowing across it.

"Sup' Natalie?" Magnus asked.

"I wanted to see where you guys were with the information that the recon team gathered. I heard through the grapevine I'll be in charge of those specific missions to follow," Natalie replied.

"Ooh...look at you. Fance pants," Magnus sneered.

"Got new big girl pants," Natalie smirked.

"We will have info for you in a few hours…," Linda trailed off.

Natalie noticed the heavy silence in the room, she could feel the tension that laced the office as the group silently tacked away on their keyboards, attempting to remain calm and cool.

"Ok, something is off- Hey Kallista…?" Natalie started as she noticed that the woman had already exited the room.

"Hey-!" Natalie said as she went after the woman.

There was silence between the four left in the room, they silently glanced at one another as if in a silent conversation. Linda was the first to break the silence among them.

"...The Director...is really...stressed…frustrated almost," Linda commented.

"She's angry..." Aleks commented.

"And she has every right to be. I mean she almost died, the fact that people had to stop their missions to go save her may have set things back a bit, but withholding information like this from Reyes that's inexcusable," Magnus started.

"Something happened to her...but I'm sure it'll get figured out. Anyway, it seems bad that she isn't telling Reyes about it, but she also has the liberty to filter information that is important and what's not important. She is judging the level of action she needs to take for this message before she goes to Reyes," Malik stated.

"That is part of her position," Aleks commented.

"If you notice the last line, 'It's time for our  _ Goddess to rise again,'  _ Someone from the God Brigade or Anonon…" Malik trailed off as he realized he was saying a word incorrectly, he cleared his throat and tried again.

"The God Brigade or Anonymous is trying to contact her,"

"From Anonymous?" Linda asked.

"Have you ever heard of research Linda?" Magnus asked.

"I know not to pry into personal business unlike someone we know," Linda spat.

"She has bite!" Magnus chuckled.

"Listen this is important," Malik said as he snapped his fingers catching everyone's attention.

"Whoever this  _ DeadFoxhound  _ person is from Anonymous contacted Kallista for a reason, It could be connected to the Cheshire Cat Incident or something else. That's for Kallista to determine and decide what we do. Everyone wanted her to be the Director so let her do her job," Malik said.

"Morals and ethics, though," Magnus commented.

"You forget who she was Magnus," Malik commented.

"One of the most wanted hackers in the world…" Linda commented.

"Exactly," Malik replied.

"She knows what she's doing. I trust her," Malik said casually and stood.

"I guess," Magnus commented.

"I trust she'll do the right thing…" Aleks added.

"Me too," Linda added.

"She  **is** one of our fearless leaders…" Magnus sighed.

* * *

 

Natalie quickly looked down the hall to follow after the woman who had suddenly disappeared from the office, she needed to talk to her about the upcoming missions and now something else.

"Kallista. Wait up," Natalie called after her as she jogged to catch up with her. She clicked her tongue as she realized that Kallista was ignoring her and continued at her hurried pace.

"Kallista-!"

" _ What do you want?" _

Kallista suddenly turned around to face the woman following after her, Natalie's golden colored eyes met with Kallista's icy stare. Natalie stopped a few inches from her, surprised at the sudden tone of the woman's voice and the cold stare. She knew it wasn't like her friend.

"Ok, so you ignored me which is rude. What's with you? What's going on?" Natalie asked worriedly, it wasn't like the woman to act like this.

"I'm frustrated and have a lot of catch up on. Is there something you need?" Kallista replied.

The expression that Natalie gave clearly told her that she was venting on people around her. Kallista glanced at Natalie before looking away from her, she couldn't even look at the woman, her friend who cared about her well-being.

"I said it's nothing. Just drop it," Kallista murmured.

"If it's nothing you should probably not vent it out on those around you know full well they are worried about you. You can't do that and then push them away, that's selfish and inconsiderate of you. Get your shit together Kallista," Natalie said as she walked pass Kallista and down the hall leaving Kallista alone.

Ana was headed out of her office when she nearly bumped into a man standing meekly in the doorway.

"Malik?" Ana questioned.

"Uh...Ummi…can we talk for a few minutes...if you have time?" Malik whispered. Ana looked up at the shying taller man as he adjusted his glasses, she knew that he came to her when something was bothering him when he needed reassurance or advice.

"Of course, I was on my way to grab some coffee and check on Gabriel. Let's talk on the way," Ana suggested as she moved out of the doorway letting the door slide closed.

"Ok…" Malik trailed off.

Ana placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder before slowly starting down the hallway with him. She quickly glanced at the man, noticing his stature leaning, he was heavily on his cane.

"It's been a while, Malik,  how are you feeling?" Ana asked breaking the silence between them.

"In pain as usual," Malik chuckled.

"You have been taking your meds and doing physical therapy right?" Ana questioned.

She knew the man was stubborn when it came to his own health and even wondered how Gabriel was able to handle his stubbornness let alone keep him from being killed on the field. She questioned it every time she saw Malik with a new injury or in a wheelchair, whatever Gabriel did, it worked.

"Yeah…" Malik trailed off.

"It doesn't sound like you have been Malik," Ana commented.

"I have...it's just hard to do so...but Mikael has been helping me," Malik replied.

"You can't always rely on him to help you. You need to be able to do things on your own," Ana replied.

"I know...I know…" Malik sighed again.

"Stop being stubborn about it and go. From my understanding Dr. Mikami is the only one who knows the most about you. Also, I'm pretty sure that Mikael is not a certified medic, " Ana added.

Malik was silent at the woman's advice, he knew that he had to go, it was just a little more difficult than she knew. He didn't have the words to explain how he felt nor was he going to try to explain it to her.

"Yeah. I'll try," Malik replied as they walked into the empty cafe. Ana made her way over to the coffee machines as Malik went towards the closest table and sat down.

"You're drinking coffee?" Malik asked as he rubbed his achy knees.

"I have a long drive ahead of me," Ana replied.

"A mission?" Malik asked.

"You could say that," Ana replied as the coffee machine behind her beeped, letting her know that her coffee was finished. Carefully grabbing the mug she made her way over to the man at the table.

"How long will you be gone?" Malik asked as he watched her sit down across from him.

"That's to be determined. Now, I know you came to me for something...what's bothering you?" Ana questioned as she blew on the steaming coffee in her cup.

"Right…" Malik trailed off as he turned slightly away from the woman. The two sat in silence before he spoke again.

"I...I'm glad that Kallista is back...but...I don't know if she is the same person...does that make sense?" Malik started.

"What do you mean?" Ana questioned.

"She's...angry, frustrated, stressed...It's only been a day since she's been back but...what if all of this is too much for her?" Malik questioned.

"What are you trying to say Malik?" Ana questioned.

"Can she handle being the director and on the field. She's cracking under pressure," Malik stated bluntly.

"Do you think you would be better for the position? " Ana asked bluntly.

"I'm technically her senior so…" Malik trailed off.

"If they...if Gabriel thought you were best for the position you would have it. We talked about this Malik. It's already done and over with," Ana sighed.

Malik leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily, he still wasn't over Kallista being picked for the Director position, even if he did encourage the others to recommend her. As he thought back on it he knew that he wouldn't have been able to handle the workload or be able to deal with all of the people that Kallista had to communicate with nor would he would have been as professional like could see a flicker of irritation on the man's face before he adjusted his glasses again, regaining his composure.

"Besides, Kallista isn't supposed to be working, she hasn't even been cleared, nor has she recovered," Ana replied. He was silent for a few moments before he spoke.

"Yeah...but how do I tell her to take a break...I even though I'm bitter...I still don't want to see her in pain," Malik sighed.

"And it seems like the only way to get her to do anything is to tell her commanding officer," Ana started before she took another sip of her coffee.

"I guess you're talking about Gabi, right?" Malik questioned.

"Exactly," Ana smirked.

"Although...I don't see her going on for much longer. From what I've heard her body went through a lot of stress...she's gonna pass out soon," Ana hummed and took another sip of her coffee.

"Yeah...it looks like she's going to...but...the way she looked at me...though," Malik trailed off.

"I'm not too surprised at that...there's a bit of a lover's quarrel," Ana started.

"A lover's quarrel?" Malik asked

"What's that?"

"Oh? You didn't know? " Ana chuckled.

"...is that what's happening?"

"You know you should be healing instead of attempting to spar with me," Lyudmila commented as she easily sidestepped Kallista's punch. Kallista grunted as she barely caught herself from the roundhouse kick she attempted to catch the taller woman with.

"Kallista," Lyudmila started.

It was only 30 minutes into the impromptu training session and Lyudmila could clearly see the woman was struggling heavily.

"You're wasting your breath," Kallista growled as she charged the woman. Lyudmila continued to dodge the woman's sluggish attacks, just to humor her. 

She knew that she shouldn't have been even training with her from the beginning, in a way Kallista kinda forced her hand. Lyudmila had already been training with some of the new Blackwatch agents that were recruited and was lucky that Kallista waited till they were gone.

They didn't need to see this.

"Kallista-" Lyudmila started again.

"No-!" Kallista shouted. Lyudmila clicked her tongue as she switched stances to attack, she was surprised that the woman was able to avoid her punches in her state but knew that each sidestep, dodge, and duck was costing her more and more of her stamina.

Kallista stumbled backward but quickly caught herself and moved to charge again. A gust of wind and a gloved fist a mere inches from her face stopped her where she stood.

"Get control of yourself. This is not you. Go talk to him," Lyudmila said quietly. Kallista's icy blue orbs looked up from the woman's fist and met the woman's warm hazel brown eyes.

"What?" Kallista asked, clearly exhausted.

"I said go talk to him," Lyudmila repeated.

"Why should I?" Kallista said as she shoved the woman's gloved fist from her face.

"You two clearly had a fight and need to get over it because it's affecting both of you," Lyudmila sighed. 

Kallista opened her mouth to say something, but crumbled to her knees in pain, a choked cry escaped her lips. Lyudmila sighed as she watched the woman crumble to her knees, she was already annoyed at the fact that Kallista was moving around when she should have been resting. Who knows what additional damage she was causing to her body even if she was a super soldier. The taller woman sighed again as she slicked back a piece of errant hair that slipped from her ponytail before helping Kallista to her feet.

"I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do this with you. I already do it enough for Malik," Lyudmila commented. Within a few minutes, Kallista found herself in the med bay and being looked over by an assistant.

"Kallista...I trust you to stay, I'll know if you don't," Lyudmila said as she moved towards the door.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Kallista sighed as she looked away from her.

"You have to talk to him," Lyudmila huffed.

"I'm not going to talk to him," Kallista replied firmly.

"Stop being a stubborn ass Kallista," Lyudmila said as she crossed her arms.

"Why don't you tell that to him," Kallista spat back.

"Look. You're arguing just because you're heated. Cool down and take a step back from everything, Right now your stupidity is showing," Lyudmila added before she exited the room.

"My stupidity huh," Kallista scoffed.

"Where is your pain mostly Director Kaines?" the assistant asked.

"Ribs," Kallista replied.

"Yesterday you did have a lot bruising...please take off your shirt. We can put more nanospray and wrap your ribs and whatever else you need me to," the assistant said.

"Ok…" Kallista murmured as she moved, slowly, to take off her tank top.

* * *

 

Weeks had passed as Kallista continued to heal, Angela had told her that she healed a lot faster than normal but that was expected. To that extent Kallista buried herself in work to avoid people and to keep her mind off the pain and the guilt she felt for being rescued. The mention of other agents postponing their missions to rescue her, bothered her even though the missions were all successful, even with the delay.

"Whatever," Kallista mumbled to herself as she continued to review mission reports. She knew that she had tons of work to catch up on and still focus on her original task. She continued to approve and send the mission reports to Lyudmila and Gabriel and moved on to the next thing.

"Finally done with reports…" she sighed heavily and leaned back in her chair. She had so many things turning in her head, but there was one thing that still bothered her.

Weeks with minimal contact, minimal words exchanged, two stubborn people, agitated with one another. Neither moving to apologize to one another, she wasn't going to budge she had nothing to apologize to him about.

"...I need coffee," Kallista murmured to herself as she stood and made her way to the door of her office. She lost count of how many cups she had and knew that Angela would chew her out if she found out, but it was a distraction a much-needed distraction.

A distraction to keep her awake and her mind focused on work, her main reason for being forcibly recruited to Blackwatch. Kallista stretched as she made her way to the door, in mid stretch the door opened with a soft hiss revealing Gabriel on the other side, their eyes met briefly before Kallista averted her eyes somewhere else.

"...Kallista…" Gabriel said as he stood in front of her, blocking the door.

"Reyes," Kallista replied as she crossed her arms. There was a pause between the two before Kallista attempted to leave her office, he didn't move.

"This is where you've been hiding," Gabriel commented as he quickly scanned her office taking note of the blanket hanging over her chair, the empty energy drink cans, instant noodles piled on a cabinet next to a water kettle.

"It's called working," Kallista replied bluntly. Gabriel focused back on the woman as she continued to avoid meeting his gaze.

"Is there something I can do for you? You're in the way of me getting coffee," Kallista sighed.

"You know why I'm here," Gabriel replied crossing his arms, his larger frame taking up the doorway.

"If I did, I wouldn't have asked. So, what do you want?" Kallista asked. She could see the man's jaw tense as he looked down at her.

"You're still so stubborn," Gabriel sighed.

"Me stubborn? You're worse than I am," Kallista retorted as she crossed her arms. Gabriel glanced over his shoulder to see if a passerby got too curious, the hall was empty.

"Stop it," Gabriel said.

"Stop what? You came into my office-"Kallista started.

"You're being dense even though you know what I'm doing here," Gabriel cut her off.

"Excuse me?" Kallista started when suddenly he stepped forward, pushing her back into the office. The man locked the door and barricaded it with his larger frame, locking her in the room with him. Kallista moved towards the other door about to open it when-

"Athena lock all doors in Director Kaines' office," Gabriel sighed.

_ \--Understood.-- _

"You are being-" Kallista started as she glared at the man.

"You're acting like a child," Gabriel cut her off.

"A child? Alright then. What can I do for your Commander Reyes? I would like to get back to work," Kallista huffed as she turned to look at the man.

"Kallista you're making this more difficult than what it needs to be," Gabriel sighed annoyed.

"Get to the point," Kallista huffed.

"I came to apologize…" The man trailed off.

"I'm sorry," Gabriel said as he looked down at her, his gaze was firm and unwavering. Kallista narrowed her eyes at the man and placed a hand on her hip.

"What I said was out of line, inconsiderate, and unprofessional," he continued. Kallista remained silent as she moved to cross her arms, still watching him.

"I didn't mean it," he finished.

"Really?" Kallista asked.

"Really," Gabriel repeated.

"Who put you up to this?" Kallista asked, her voice softer as she looked away from the man, her hardened exterior softening.

"No one made me do this Kallista," Gabriel huffed.

"It was Natalie, wasn't it? Ana? Lyudmila? Morrison?" Kallista listed off names.

She knew that the man was just as stubborn as her and wouldn't willingly apologize to her, his voice pulled her from her thoughts breaking the short pause between them.

"You are just as important as everyone here. I wasn't going to leave you to die, I couldn't let that happen," Gabriel started.

"I told you I was going to protect you in whatever shape or form but I need you to trust me so I can do it," He continued as he took off his hat and scratched his head.

Kallista quickly glanced up at the man before focusing her attention on the floor, she knew about the hastily put together mission and the urgency behind it. She saw the mission details and reports, there was truth behind his words.

"Fine. I accept your apology," Kallista started. Gabriel waited for the woman to continue as he slipped his beanie back on.

"But, If you think I'll forget about this you are mistaken. I won't forget," Kallista replied.

"Kallista," Gabriel started as he sighed.

"It won't affect my work...but it's going to take me some time...you...what you said really hurt," Kallista said softly.

"I got too heated and let my stress go too far. I apologize," Gabriel replied.

"The great Commander Reyes cracking under pressure," Kallista commented as she looked up at him.

"Only when it comes to certain people that will remain unnamed," Gabriel replied.

"I can figure that out," Kallista started.

"Don't. I know it's going to take you time to recover...but hopefully, this tense air fades," Gabriel started.

"The feeling is mutual…" Kallista trailed off.

"Good. Athena, unlock all doors in Director Kaines office, " Gabriel nodded as he moved away from the door.

_ \--Understood-- _

"Now...about that coffee. Did you want to grab a cup of coffee with me?" Kallista asked. Gabriel looked at his cellphone and at the time.

"It's 1 AM Kallista, you should be sleeping," Gabriel suggested.

"Time has no meaning to me right now. Besides...I can tell you about my recovery and possible leads on some interesting news," Kallista replied as she moved towards the door. The door slid open with a soft hiss.

"It's true, nothing gets by you without you noticing," He replied as he followed her out of her office.

"You wouldn't believe the things I've seen Reyes...it's just a matter of asking," Kallista sneered as she stepped into the hallway.

"You mean bribing," Gabriel replied as he followed her

"Whichever comes first," Kallista replied nonchalantly as she walked down the hall.

"You're the worst," Gabriel chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, no te preocupes por eso Kalli...Gabi estaba preocupado por ti - Don't worry about it Kalli... Gabi was worried about you
> 
> ...no significa nada - ...Doesn't mean anything


	14. Setup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New developments in the Cheshire Cat Events and prep for a tide turning mission in Naples, Italy.

[ _ Alright, Kallista. Are you ready for the training simulation?} _

Kallista stood from stretching and cracked her neck before nodding towards the viewing window above her.

"Yeah," Kallista said.

_ [How is the fit?] _

"It's a little tight but it's non-restrictive," Kallista replied 

_ [ You look, good lass, real good] _

Kallista smirked to herself as she bounced on the balls of her feet, pumping herself up for the waves of simulation tests that she would be put through.

_ [Careful Gideon.] _

_ [How about we not do this? We are testing out a 900k suit and you're flirting with her? Sabina why do we keep these numb nuts around?] _

"Before we start...does this one have a name?" Kallista asked.

_ [We have a few names for it, but I think we've come to the conclusion that Nyx works well for this suit] _

Sabina's voice had cut through the bickering that was about to happen between the members of the R&D Department for Overwatch.

"Nyx sounds good...and the operating systems?" Kallista asked.

_ [The Helios System, lass. I named it] _

Look at you Gideon...being all cool with your names," Kallista laughed.

_ [I've got to. The name is only fitting for the Queen of Blackwatch Intel Department] _

_ [Alright Gideon that's enough outta you] _

"Sabina. I'm ready when you are," Kallista said as she ignored the bickering in the background.

[ _ Good. Starting with simulation level 6. We will increase the level as we complete each test. Furthermore, we will want to test the suit during a simulated infiltration mission. During this simulation we want you to push the suit to its limit. Paired with your enhanced strength and speed, your martial arts experience this should be easy] _

"Sounds good to me. I will try my best," Kallista replied as she gave a thumbs up and adjusted the simulation goggles.

[Standby…Infiltration simulation training mission beginning in 3...2...1…]

* * *

 

It was barely noon when Gabriel had been pulled aside for a private chat in the outdoor pavilion in the Overwatch Division. Mikael, a member of Blackwatch that worked closely with the Overwatch R&D Division and a long time friend.

"Mikael? What's up?" Gabriel asked as he sipped his coffee.

"Hey...Gabe, I need to talk to you about something...important," Mikael started. Gabriel arched an eyebrow at the man, for him to pull him aside so suddenly was normal but the man's nervous features is what caused Gabriel to wonder about what was bothering man this time.

"What did you break this time?" Gabriel asked jokingly to relax the man's nerves, Mikael laughed nervously and slicked his hair back in the process.

"Nothing...this time," Mikael replied.

"Then?" Gabriel asked.

There weren't many times where there was silence between the two men, Gabriel knew that whatever the man had to tell him, it was more than important. Mikael leaned against one of the pillars of the pavilion and sighed heavily, Gabriel silently sipped at his coffee.

"You know...sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the missions that Overwatch and Blackwatch take on...like do you guys even get a vacation? There's too much responsibility in our hands, granted I'm not on the field much but when I am its an emergency. We carry so much on our backs, even more than NATO," Mikael began.

Gabriel glanced at the man across from him as he took another sip of his coffee and waited for the man to continue.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing you know? I always thought I'd end up an archaeologist not a defense and weapon specialist for Overwatch let alone Blackwatch," Mikael said softly.

"Where is all of this coming from?" Gabriel spoke up.

"...I...I've been thinking about it off and on...but it hit really hard when we rescued Kallista…" Mikael trailed off.

"You having a change of heart on me Spiros?" Gabriel questioned before he sipped at his coffee.

"When I first thought about it...it didn't seem like it...but now since Kallista and I talked about it...it's starting to sound like it doesn't it?" Mikael chuckled nervously.

"You spoke to her first?" Gabriel asked.

"I did. Believe it or not, I find it easy to talk to her first about things like this...it's just easy to talk to her...you know like a sibling like you're close to...or something like that," Mikael sighed.

"You think so? She's pretty aloof to me," Gabriel replied.

"It's just an act. She's got the stoic tough girl act down but it's really cute when you find out about all of her quirks" Mikael chuckled, Gabriel scoffed in response.

Gabriel sipped his coffee as silence fell between them again, conversations were easy for them but at this moment holding a conversation was difficult. Now holding a conversation was difficult, and yet Gabriel was used to it, he'd seen his comrades, friends shot down on the field, sacrificed themselves for the sake of the mission. He'd seen his comrades and friends leave for the betterment of their lives, moving on instead of constantly risking their lives.

He too thought about putting everything behind him, he thought about  stepping down from the Blackwatch Commander position and becoming a civilian. To fulfill his dream of starting a family in his hometown, Los Angeles. But always threw the idea behind him, not when he knew there was something brewing with the Talon on the move and the unrest in several countries.

In the back of his mind, he knew this talk was coming, just like he said he saw the signs of it after they rescued Kallista. He was second guessing his career choice, second-guessing his life choices, realizing that his life could end in a moment's notice. A part of Gabriel wanted to tell the man to go while he had the chance to, the other wanted the man to stay. The man was essentially a founding member of Blackwatch.

"So, what are you going to do?" Gabriel asked.

"I dunno yet. I've been with you for such a long time...doing anything different would be weird," Mikael sighed.

"I expect you to do what's right for you and not what you think is good for Blackwatch," Gabriel commented, Mikael sighed heavily and mumbled a few words in Greek.

"I know...but at least it's good to know that you're on my side," Mikael said as took off his glasses and wiped them clean with the edge of his shirt.

"Why wouldn't I be? You've been with me from the beginning. Yeah, I'll take a large hit from you being gone and having to replace you but I'm not going to stop you from doing what you think is right for you, doing what you think you need to do in order to move on with your life," Gabriel started.

"I don't have the right to tell you what you can and cannot do with your life," Gabriel added. Mikael shifted a bit as he continued to lean against the pillars, he adjusted his glasses as he looked at the man across from him.

Gabriel was honored that the man wanted his feedback on his decision, he was his commanding officer, but he also didn't want that to hold him back from starting a life that Mikael wanted to have, outside of Overwatch, outside of Blackwatch and its horrors.

"Even so. Your opinion is important to me," Mikael replied. There was another pause between the two, this time Mikael was the first to break the silence between the two.

"Ok, this is too somber for me damn…” Mikael sighed.

"Whatever you decide to do Spiros. I'm going to support you,"

"That's good to hear...whatever I do I'm glad that you'll be on my side," Mikael said as he suddenly reached into his pants pocket to pull out his cell phone.

"Oh-! They're testing the suit," Mikael said as shoved his phone back into his pocket.

"Suit?" Gabriel asked.

"Kallista's special suit," Mikael chuckled as he finger gunned the man as he began walking back towards the main building.

"We'll make her into Blackwatch's trump card, we'll make her into  **your** trump card," Mikael quipped as he continued walking backward.

"Spiros," Gabriel sighed as he shook his head.

"Don't worry we got you covered!" Mikael said before he disappeared into the main building leaving Gabriel to himself and thoughts.

The day had come and gone just like that, paired with meetings, the long extended tests of the new suit and prep work for upcoming missions. Kallista sighed heavily as she stared at the large screen in the now empty Intel department. It was just her and the message from Deadfoxhound.

"Deadfoxhound...it's been a while," Kallista said to herself as she pulled a smaller holographic screen to the front and pushed the larger screen back. 

Kallista knew that this person was connected to the Cheshire Cat events otherwise there was no other reason for Deadfoxhound to contact her. She had been in contact with her and a few others before her capture four years prior. There were days that she missed talking to them but knew it was best if she didn't reach out to them.

They didn't need to know that she worked for the organization they were working to expose.

The Cheshire events started when several political and pharmaceutical corporations websites were hacked and displayed damaging information about their dirty dealings. It started a wildfire within the media and of course, Kallista had an eye on each of those politicians and corporations, she didn't have a choice. Kallista and her team did have a good laugh watching PR scramble to recover, but the situation had not escalated to the level where Blackwatch had to intervene.

But that was short lived.

The next set of events the Cheshire events contributed to was the kidnapping of two prominent CEOs, more specifically CEOs that Blackwatch were investigating before this. That instantly captured Blackwatch’s attention, with the help of Overwatch and Blackwatch Intel they had rescued the two and took down the kidnappers, Blackwatch's new task was capturing the one who called themselves the Cheshire Cat.

Another investigation on her hand and for her teams.

Kallista sighed heavily as she plopped down in one of the desk chairs as she pulled up another mission that had been in the works for several weeks. It was Gabriel's mission to Italy, a mission to take down and or apprehend a high target within Talon ranks, a possible Talon operative codename Duchess, Elena Vescovi, a media mogul. The woman had been seen all throughout Italy with an unknown dark haired woman at her side.

This woman was a public figure, she was well known and could easily be picked out in a crowd from her crimson red hair, she was wealthy, a wide range of connections to many people in power in Italy and in the neighboring countries. 

Kallista and her team had gathered information on the woman for the past few weeks to streamline the man's mission. Everyone in the Intel dept. knew that this mission was important and made sure that the man had everything and more for his mission and to make sure of that he made sure to make her in charge of his missions.

 

Before she closed the file she noticed that the mission dossier had been accessed by someone other than herself, the Strike Commander, Lyudmila, and Gabriel himself.

"Athena. Give me a list of those who have accessed Commander Reyes' mission dossier since creation," Kallista said as she straightened herself in her chair and began typing on the dark blue holographic keyboard.

_ \--Access to this dossier has been granted to the following: Strike Commander Jack Morrison, Captain Ana Amari, Commander Gabriel Reyes, Captain Lyudmila Dontsova, Director Kallista Kaines.-- _

"The last person to access this file?" Kallista asked.

_ \--The last individual to access this file...Captain Ana Amari-- _

Kallista looked at the list of names that had access to the dossier, Ana was the last person, but for what reason?"

"I don't see any changes made to this dossier, Athena, were there any changes made?" Kallista asked.

_ \--None.-- _

Kallista knew that she had her own missions to attend to with Overwatch, why would she need to look at his mission. So suddenly?

"Athena...when did Captain Amari leave for her mission in Egypt?" Kallista asked.

_ \--Captain Amari departed for her mission, 48 hours past.-- _

The dossier was accessed barely 24 hours ago.

"Athena. Allow access to this dossier for the following individuals, Strike Commander Jack Morrison, Commander Gabriel Reyes, First Lieutenant Lyudmila Dontsova and myself," Kallista stated.

_ \--Understood. Director Kaines please input your specialized override code-- _

Kallista pulled another holographic screen from the mission dossier and quickly typed in her override code, all while dread had its hands on her shoulders. With the sudden mention of Ana looking into the file served as a slap in the face as to why she was here.

The main reason why she wasn't in prison, to capture the mole that hide.

She did have to admit that they hid pretty well for the past three years but with her position, she was inundated with so much responsibility, with an addition of a team, missions, minor controversy articles about Blackwatch and Overwatch being spun on the internet and little movement within the dark web.

Kallista made a mental note to connect with Ana upon her return, she couldn't come up with a logical reason for Ana to look at Reyes' mission while she was had her own things to handle. Her mind in overdrive at the possibility of the mole making their first move, everything they did brought Kallista closer to discovering who they were and in a way redeeming herself in the process. If only.

Kallista glanced at the blue holographic numbers on the main screen, it read exactly 3 AM and yet sleep still evaded her.

_ How many days had she not slept? _

_ Did she even eat today? _

_ Drank water? _

She knew she should rest but also knew that she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. With the effects of SEP, insomnia and migraines plagued her constantly. She decided that she needed to try sleep, Kallista closed all the holographic screens and logged out of the terminal before she exited the office.

Her mind was focused on how to lure the mole from hiding as she walked down the slightly dimmed hall. She was pulled from her thoughts as her ear picked up muffled groaning before her eyes locked onto the man heavily leaning on one of the hallway walls.

"Reyes?" Kallista asked as she quickly approached him, when she looked closer she could see blood dripping down the side of his face, blood coming from his ears.

"Oh my god," Kallista gasped as she helped the man from the wall, bearing the brunt of his weight as they made their way to the Med Bay.

[Hayden: Yoooo wat happun to Nat? She gone!]

[Doubek: :3 ]

[Hayden: Wat dat mean?]

[Doubek: I'm sure she's with the Commander… ; ) ]

[Hayden: Oh?...oh! Morrison?!]

[Talli: She had Jesse give her a piggyback ride back to HQ. I heard them when they came back]

[Hayden: Tal! Why awake? It late]

[Talli: I haven't slept yet. These modifications...kinda hurt ya know?]

[Linda/Truffles: You asshole!]

[Linda/Truffles: You know who I'm talking to!]

[Hayden: wat happun?! Linda!]

[Linda/Truffles: I'm charging every mofo for hurting my feelings! 30 credits per insult!]

[M: LMAO]

[Malik: Truffles~ 3]

[Linda/Truffles: Shut it, Ramos, you owe me 30 credits!]

[Poster Boy A: Guys. It's 3 in the fucking morning. Go to sleep.]

[Talli: Who pissed off Linda?]

[M: It's alright. She's fine and an angry drunkard]

[Hayden: Dude]

[Linda/Truffles: Magnus you ass! That's why no one wants to sleep with you and you!]

[Hayden: woah!]

[Talli: :o ]

[Malik:Buuuuurn]

[Doubek: DAYUM! SHE GOT BITE!]

[M: Wow Linda. I didn't know you cared about my sexual life.]

[Linda/Truffles: You ass!]

[Poster Boy A: Alright. That's enough all of you. Shut the hell up and go the fuck to sleep. Reyes has a mission in 36 hours and you are all acting like shit heads!]

[Linda/Truffles: BITE ME!]

[Malik: She wild! LMAO!]

[Poster Boy A: Magnus. Take her phone and the rest of you go to the fuck to sleep]

"No rupture to the outer ear canal, no internal bleeding in the brain. I checked your files and there seem to be no pre existing conditions and there were none but there were previous instances of this happening but with no precise cause," the female doctor said as she flipped her blush pink hair over her shoulder, her attention focused on the file in her hands.

"Not to mention I only have access to the bare minimum," she replied.

"So then I'm clear," Gabriel said as he stood, the woman scoffed as she crossed her arms.

"No. Are you out of your mind? I need to run tests on you to make sure there's nothing else wrong with you," she replied.

"Look. I'm going to be fine. Two of Ana's darts are just what I needed to deal with this. No other tests needed," Gabriel sighed.

"That dosage is enough to kill a normal man," the woman frowned.

"I am not just a normal man," Gabriel scoffed, annoyed at the woman's persistence.

Kallista sighed heavily as she ran a hand through her hair, the doctor, Seraphina Hasibuan was fairly new to the medical division of Overwatch. She didn't know their conditions, the effects of SEP, the pain nor how to deal with their pain.  In time she would learn.

"Have you used drugs, excess alcohol, engaged in sexual- Hey!" Seraphina stopped when she saw that the man disregarded her and her questions as he made his way towards the exit.

"Commander Reyes! Get back here you are my patient- Commander!" Seraphina called after the man as she watched him leave.

"I heard stories about him but I didn't think he was that much of an ass," Seraphina grumbled as she turned to Kallista.

"Make sure you bring him back tomorrow," Seraphina sighed heavily.

"Yeah. I'll try," Kallista agreed as she was suddenly hit with a wave of tiredness. She looked at her hand, her crystal blue eyes focusing on the dried blood on her hands, oblivious to the woman's chocolate brown eyes on her.

"Here," Seraphina said as she moved to get her a sanitizing wipe for her hands.

"Oh...thank you," Kallista said as she took the wipe and began to wipe her hands.

"You're not sleeping much are you?" Seraphina asked.

"You can tell?" Kallista quipped.

“Pardon my bluntness, but honey, your skin looks terrible," Seraphina replied bluntly.

"Oh, thanks for your medical assessment Dr. Hasibuan. You don't look that great either," Kallista replied sarcastically.

"Birds of a feather and you're welcome," Seraphina said as she took a seat at her desk.

"Seraphina is fine and I'm just doing my job," Seraphina sighed as she turned her attention back to the terminal screen.

"I suppose you're feeling in for Angela right?" Kallista asked as she tossed the used wipe.

"Something like that. I'm waiting for my clearance to be approved before I start on what I was recruited for," Seraphina replied.

"Ah...Angie's little project," Kallista said. Seraphina spun around in her chair to face Kallista, her warm brown eyes critically studying Kallista's form. Kallista crossed her arms as she stared back at the woman.

"If you know about it, you're either from Overwatch or high in the chain of command," Seraphina stated.

"Blackwatch Intel Director," Kallista corrected.

"Oh? Miss Kallista Kaines correct?" Seraphina questioned.

"You're correct. I know and see a lot of things, and it happens to be my job too," Kallista replied.

"I'll keep that in mind," Seraphina replied as she crossed a leg over the other.

"We won't give you too much of a hassle," Kallista replied.

"That’s good to know," Seraphina said as she turned around to the terminal again.

"Thank you for seeing him. In the meantime, I'm going to try to sleep, don't stay up too late. It's not good for your skin," Kallista said as she made her way to the exit.

"Trust me, I know,"

* * *

 

The next morning Kallista didn't see much of Gabriel as he didn't see much of her either. He had a mission to prepare for and the last thing she needed was to be in his way, not to mention that she didn't sleep and managed to doze off during the Intel meeting.

"She dozed off again…" Magnus whispered

"She must have been up late again," Aleks replied

"Banging Gabi of course," Malik sneered.

"I can hear you, you know," Kallista said as she opened her eyes and yawned.

"That got your attention," Magnus chuckled.

"Did you not sleep yesterday Director Kaines?" Linda asked.

"No. I haven't slept in two days. I ran into some issues yesterday night while attempting to sleep," Kallista replied as she rubbed her eyes.

"Issues huh?" Malik smirked.

"Oh come off of it," Kallista yawned.

Ana suddenly accessing Gabriel's mission dossier, his sudden SEP outburst, the Cheshire events and the recon reports and more. She was worried, fatigued and near exhaustion but continued to push herself.

"Have you thought about taking a day to recover Director?" Aleks asked.

"Eventually but I probably would have been able to sleep during the time you numbnuts were texting at 3 AM," Kallista glared at the four in the room.

"Someone got drunk and told us how they really feel," Malik commented.

"Ok so that is not entirely true," Linda spoke up.

"Oh woe is me...Linda thinks I can't get laid," Magnus feigned hurt.

"Look I apologized! I was drunk," Linda replied.

"Ok...look I don't care about your sexual lives just make sure you're safe about it," Kallista waved off the conversation as she stood and moved towards the front of the room

"We got a special request from Caix in the Overwatch division,"

"Caix? This must be good," Malik commented

"Who does he want us to find now?" Magnus sighed.

Officer Caix was a headhunter for the Overwatch division and occasionally called on Blackwatch to recruit a member or in simple terms, go get them for him.

"We...or should I say he was in contact with someone from the Frost Network," Kallista continued

"The Frost Network from Crimson Castle….ooohhhhh!" Magnus smirked.

"The group of spies based in a strip club. They do good work, we used to work with them when the intel department was recovering," Malik added.

"I heard. There is a particular person that Caix wants us to bring back,"

"When do we start and can I go?" Magnus asked

"No," Kallista replied.

"Aw c'mon," Magnus whined

"No. Caix, Lyuda, and Reyes will decide on who goes we just have to make sure everything is setup properly as usual and provide support," Kallista waved off the man.

"Kallista," Magnus started.

"Oh boy…," Aleks sighed.

"Here we go," Malik sighed.

"Have I ever told you how  _ smashing  _ you look?" Magnus tried to imitate a British accent and failed.

"Put a sock in it. I have a migraine and I don't need your whining," Kallista waved off the man again.

"You tried and failed Maggs. Where is your game? I could probably do a better job," Malik sneered.

"Linda I want you to work with Caix on this, Aleks I'm going to-" Kallista began, ignoring the two men.

" _ Aw, por qué tan gruñón? Qué está mal? Gabí no dejó sus marcas en ti anoche? De nuevo, dejame escuchar tu voz...gatita,"  _ Malik imitated the Reyes' voice the best he could, emphasizing the man ’s deep growly tone.

"Straight for the weakness," Magnus commented

"...S-Shut up," Kallista stammered.

"See?" Malik grinned ear to ear. Magnus and Malik both chuckled.

"You guys aren't going. It's not my choice," Kallista said and cleared her throat.

"Aw c'mon lil gatita," Magnus smirked.

"Knock it off Bondevik," Kallista frowned.

"Malik I want you to do some research for me relating to the previous Cheshire Cat like events," Kallista began.

"Aww c'mon  _ gatita _ ," Malik purred.

"If you don't want me to break your legs and or cane so you can walk to Mikael's room tonight. I suggest you quit while you're ahead," Kallista said as she stared blankly at the man a few feet from her.

"Ok. You got me there," Malik laughed.

"You tried," Magnus commented, Kallista snapped her fingers to catch everyone's the two men's attention.

"Magnus there are recon missions going on in the Americas with McCree and a few others. I need you to provide support for those missions," Kallista ordered.

"Sounds good," Magnus nodded.

"Kalli, what do you need me to research? Because you know I just love sitting on my fat ass and doing research all day," Malik started, bitter sarcasm in every word.

"It'll keep you busy and out of Reyes' hair," Kallista said as she went over to the man

" _ Eso es aburrido _ ," Malik whined.

"If you have time to whine you have time to research. Here's what I need you to gather...once you see it I'm sure you'll come to your own conclusions and see where I am going with this," Kallista said

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Malik sighed as he prepared himself to find what she needed.

* * *

 

It was two hours later when Kallista returned to her room, it was barely the afternoon and yet Kallista was ready to faint from exhaustion. Kallista massaged her temples as she continued to pace around the room, another spell of insomnia that plagued her along with a dull throb from a migraine.

No concentration, no focus, and no sleep.

She couldn't remember the last time she had a decent amount of sleep, it was affecting her work and her sanity. She gave herself a pat on the back on delegating work to her team while she took time to recover from the sleepless nights and exhaustion.

A long hot shower with herbs and oils to help relax her mind and body, aromatherapy with additional relaxing oils and yet there were no signs of change.

Almost at her wit's end, she considered several times going to Lyudmila to have the woman knock her unconscious and deal with the pain of recovering instead of lack of sleep, but she knew that the woman wouldn't even dare to hit her.

"Athena, apply blackout shade 90 percent," Kallista sighed as she begrudgingly she crawled into bed and underneath her plush sheets, letting darkness wash over her.

Her head felt as if it was being constantly bashed in, dull sharp throbbing traveling from the back of her right eye and down her neck, even with the small ear plugs the noises were still loud in her head.

It was too much for her to sleep.

_ Click _

A soft noise came from the back of Kallista's throat as she heard the door open and close. She didn't need to move to see who entered, she only gave the code to one person if they needed it. It was a refuge from everything and everyone, a quiet refuge for just two.

"Still awake?" the man's voice was low, with signs of exhaustion.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"Two days ago? Coming to say goodbye? " Kallista asked. She heard a soft grunt come from the man and a soft thud of a duffle bag.

"You know I don't say goodbye," Gabriel replied as he yawned.

He was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and just a basic white t-shirt and his signature beanie missing, the duffle bag she assumed was his gear for his mission in the upcoming hours, it was rare.

"You look just as bad as I do," Kallista commented.

"Oh thanks," Gabriel said sarcastically.

She wasn't going to tell him that she was happy that he came to see her before he left, she was already worried about the man from the night before but didn't want to seem overly attached to him, that would be too much for the both of them.

That's not what they silently agreed upon, that's not what they needed.

"Aleks told me that you haven't slept for two days...so you already know what I'm going to say," Gabriel chided her. A noise that resembled a whine came from the woman as she rolled on to her side, facing away from him.

" _ Kallista you need rest otherwise your productivity will fall. I'm your commander it's my job to make sure that you are taking care of yourself _ ," Kallista imitated the man. A soft chuckle came from behind her as she felt her bed dip from the weight of the man getting into her bed with her.

"You really are the 'Dad' in Blackwatch," Kallista murmured.

"I'm offended," Gabriel huffed, Kallista laughed slightly.

Even with the joke, Kallista couldn't deny the fact that there was something comforting about him that she didn't want to acknowledge.  She knew it was one-sided.  She was just a quickie for him nothing more, nothing less...but yet...he was here.

"Come here…" Gabriel said softly pulling her into his arms. Kallista compiled as she turned over and scooted into his embrace, resting her head gently on his shoulder. Hints of cigarette smoke, gunmetal, amber, an indescribable spice paired with his own masculine scent wrapped itself around Kallista as she soaked up the man's warmth.

Relaxing her, soothing her.

"Gabriel…" Kallista murmured as she buried her face into his chest. A soft grumble came from the back of the man's throat as he carded a hand through her hair, another brushing her lower back.

"Sleep Kallista...you need it…" Gabriel said softly.

"So do you," Kallista murmured.

"We both do," the man's voice was barely above a whisper. A soft silence setting between the two as she laid in his arms.

She listened to his steady breaths, the soft thumps of his heart, enjoying the consistent languid soft circles on her lower back.

Kallista sighed softly and moved closer to the man, slinging her leg over the man's waist, he grumbled softly as he gently rubbed his hand along her thigh and sighed contently. She never knew what it was about the man that helped her drift off to sleep, nor did she know how they've gotten so close. But yet in the back of her mind, she constantly reminded herself not to expect anything from this.

_ She had to remind herself not to get greedy. _

_ She had to remind herself not to ask for more. _

_ She had to remind herself not to fall for him. _

_ She had to remind herself to keep her mouth shut. _

This whole affair started off as a fling, to cope with the stresses of the job and nothing more and yet here they were, sleeping together in each other's rooms, in the man's office. Comforting each other when they needed it, no questions asked. The intimacy they shared was similar to that of a couple, those knowing looks in public, then gentle touches and kisses before they indulged in each other distracting themselves.

Kallista sighed softly, relishing the man's heat as she felt herself slipping into much-needed sleep, she would worry about what they were becoming some other time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough Translations:
> 
> Aw, por qué tan gruñón? Qué está mal? Gabí no dejó sus marcas en ti anoche? De nuevo, dejame escuchar tu voz...gatita: aw, so grouchy? What's wrong? Gabi didn't get to leave his marks on you last night?
> 
> Eso es aburrido: That's Boring


	15. Sterling Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hushed whispers, words unsaid or interrupted.
> 
> With Project NYX 90 percent finished, Kallista has full reign over it to work out its kinks and undiscovered abilities. But with the Cheshire cat on the move and the answer at the tip of her fingertips.
> 
> Emergency strikes.

**Mid 2064**

* * *

 

It was early morning and yet everyone in the Blackwatch Division was wide awake, preparing for their missions they had trained, researched and anxiously waited for. There were several smaller teams slated to head out early due to the importance of the type of mission, Gabriel's team was the first to depart followed by others.

Within the last free moments before heading towards the landing pad, there were a few early birds in the locker room gathering their gear that spoke briefly of their missions or promises of wild debauchery drinking afterward. After the few souls gathered their things they left only two people.

"Kallista," Gabriel started as she looked at the woman checking the status of his gear for his upcoming mission all while she collected things for her upcoming mission. "Can you stop for a moment?" Gabriel sighed, Kallista arched an eyebrow as she looked at the man over her shoulder.

"Come here. Let me check your suit...it's still a prototype," Gabriel said as he motioned for the woman to come over to him.

"It's not that big of a deal, but fine," Kallista said as she walked over to the man. Gabriel took the device from her and linked it to her suit.

"The security of the suit is lacking, you're going to fix that right?" Gabriel asked.

"Of course," Kallista replied as she watched the man's hardened features, she could tell that there was something pressing on his mind as he continued to check the stats on her suit.

"What's with you? You've been tense lately," Kallista as she continued to watch the man focus on the device. Gabriel replied with a grunt and continued to focus on the device in his hand. He ignored her question.

They checked each other's gear before they went on missions, mostly Kallista assisting him with whatever he needed before he shipped out on his mission. This wasn’t anything new, he had done the same with Jesse, Malik, and Natalie when they were sent on missions in the beginning. She wasn't any different, the only difference was the man avoiding her eye contact and question. She noticed the man had been acting strange weeks ago but it became more prevalent two days before.

"How does it fit?" Gabriel asked.

"Fine," Kallista replied.

"You've gotten clearance from Sabina and Mikael right?"

"Yeah," Kallista replied.

"Don't forget what you're supposed to do," Gabriel began.

"Naturally," Kallista sighed.

"Keep your mask on at all times,"

"I know," Kallista said firmly as her sharp blue eyes met his rich mocha colored eyes. Silence fell between the two for a moment, Gabriel was the first to look away. Within a few minutes Gabriel had finished reviewing the stats of her suits and results of tests beforehand, he quickly looked over her form.

"Are you sure you're ok? You're not sick are you?" Kallista asked as the thought of the night before and the blood oozing from his ears. She took his temperature with the back of her hand to his forehead and moved slowly to cup his cheek.

"Gabriel…" Kallista said quietly.

"Kallista," Gabriel said as he took her hand, holding it gingerly as he stared intently at her.

Kallista's heart hammered in her chest as she held the man's gaze. No hints of avoidance, or anger in his gaze, was uncertain and hesitant.

"Kallista...we need to-" Gabriel began. Kallista pursed her lips together as she braced herself for whatever the man was going to say, but something or someone had stolen her attention from him as she glanced towards the door and put some distance between them.

" _Hey Reyes everyone is ready to...oh...ohhh I'll go,"_

Citlali, Talli was another agent assigned to another mission had walked into the locker room. Kallista had heard the smaller woman’s footsteps before she had walked into the locker room. Gabriel hesitantly turned his attention from Kallista and to the woman standing in the doorway.

"They don't have to wait for me to see them off," Gabriel replied his tone void of emotion.

"O-Oh...but the um the Strike Commander was looking for you," Talli said as she stood shyly in the doorway.

"You should go see what he wants," Kallista said as she went to her locker and began to gather her things. Talli quietly slinked back from the doorway still in earshot of the locker room, curious to know what she had interrupted.

Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose before he went behind the woman and picked up his duffle bag from the bench.

"Kallista," Gabriel began.

"Hm?" Kallista replied as she closed the door to her locker, keeping her back to him. She knew that she couldn't face him, she didn't want to look like a fool if he finished what he was going to say. Even if she didn't know.

_I think we should end this._

_This was fun, thanks for the memories._

A simple phrase could end or change everything that Kallista felt. Kallista bit down on her bottom lip to keep herself in check as she waited for the man to continue, she heard the man sigh softly and shift his duffle bag before he continued.

"When...I get back...we need to talk...about us," The last words were barely a whisper, but Kallista heard them loud and clear. She could sense the hesitant in his words as if he didn't want to mutter the very words that came from his mouth.

"..Ok…" Kallista replied as she slightly turned her head away from the man as he slowly walked out of the locker room. Kallista cursed under her breath as she shakily ran a hand through her hair.

She didn't want to wait. She didn't want to hear what he had to say. She cursed again. She fell hard for him and was too attached and just a simple phrase could break the glass floor underneath her feet.

Kallista sighed heavily as she banged her head on her locker.

"Gabriel. Stop being an asshole and go get seen by Dr. Hasibuan or Angela before you leave," Morrison said as he followed the man's stride.

"I was. I was cleared. End of Story," Gabriel replied as he continued out to the flight pad.

"You were not properly cleared. You ignored Dr. Hasibuan's requests and -" Morrison started.

"What are you? My Mom?" Gabriel chuckled as he stepped out onto the landing pad.

“Reyes, I am being serious,”

He nodded to his team as he walked past them and stopped at the ramp to enter the carrier. Morrison crossed his arms as he stared at the back of the man's head, Gabriel turned to look at the man moving out of the way as his team entered the carrier. Lyudmila nodded to both of two men silently as she was the first one up the ramp. Both of them nodded to the woman and turned their attention back to one another.

"Look…" Gabriel started.

"Don't-" Morrison started as his attention shifted from the man and followed the petite woman that walked up the ramp, she looked over her shoulder at Morrison as she entered the carrier.

"Yer worried about nothin' Commander. He'll be fine...he's always fine an' we'll watch his back," Jesse commented as he was the last one up the ramp. Morrison rolled his eyes at the young man and focused back on the smug man in front of him.

"Look...you worry too much, and you worry about the wrong things," Gabriel said as he took off his hat and scratched his head.

"I place my worry in things and people that presents issues that I know are going to blow up in my face,” Morrison bit back.

“That’s a bit morbid Jack,” Gabriel shrugged.

“Are you kidding me right now? I’m being serious and you’re treating this like a game,” Morrison barked. Gabriel sighed heavily as he looked at his worried friend. He knew that the man would catch wind of the little incident, he just didn’t expect for the man to make that much of a fuss.

"Does that mean you’re worried about McCree? Oh what about Natalie?" Gabriel questioned as he placed his hat back onto his head.

"They are more than capable of completing their mission while remaining safe. None of them ignored a doctor’s order," Morrison replied.

_{Commander Reyes! Don't you dare ignore me, I will find you and drag you back-}_

Gabriel grimaced at the woman's voice that came through his earpiece, it was as if she knew that Morrison was referring to her. He took out the small earpiece and shoved it into his pocket.

"Gabe. When you get back we're talking about this. You know this isn't like you," Morrison commented.

"You're not the only person I need to talk to," Gabriel muttered under his breath as he thought back to the locker room moments before.

"What?" Morrison questioned.

"Nothing. Focus on the shit storm that's happening in Japan, we can talk about that when I get back," Gabriel said as he began up the ramp.

"Gabriel!" Morrison called after him as he heard the engines beginning to start up. Morrison frowned as he moved back from the ship and to the safety of the garage.

"Kallista?" Morrison asked as he saw the woman standing back in the garage also watching the carrier ship depart.

"Morrison," Kallista nodded.

There weren't many times he saw the woman, she was usually tucked away in the Blackwatch Intel Department office and only saw her when something important was happening.

"Is there something wrong?" Morrison asked as he stopped in front of her.

"No...Just waiting," Kallista replied. Morrison's soft blue eyes roamed over Kallista's form, taking note of the suit she wore.

"That's the new suit?" Morrison asked.

"Yeah. Just a prototype," Kallista replied.

"I see. Are you ready for your field mission?" Morrison asked and noticed her attention was focused elsewhere. The soft whir of a smaller carrier ship slowly descended onto the other landing pad catching the attention of the two and more.

"Hey Commander," Magnus said as he walked past the man and towards the smaller sleeker carrier ship. Idoya followed closely behind the man, nodding to Morrison as she passed, Morrison nodded to the two acknowledged them as he turned his attention back to the woman in front of him.

"Strike Commander," Danica nodded to the man as she too made her way to the carrier.

"You're all set to go?" Morrison asked.

"Yes," Kallista replied

"Good. If you run into any problems don't hesitate to contact base. I've spoken to the mayor and the local senators about your arrival. So I am not foreseeing any issues," Morrison began.

"You're putting your worry in the wrong person Morrison," Kallista commented. Morrison crossed his arms and frowned at the woman, in turn, Kallista arched an eyebrow at the man confused.

"He's rubbing off on you," Morrison commented.

"What's that supposed to mean? And who is rubbing off on me?" Kallista asked.

"Don't play stupid with me. He said that same exact thing before he left," Morrison replied. Kallista sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"He is my Commanding Officer," Kallista shrugged.

"Right,” Morrison replied sarcasm lacing his words.

"Anyway. You don't have to worry about me. I have experience in this...you know my past life," Kallista commented.

"That is true," Morrison thought back to her dossier they had on her four years prior. He didn't know much about her besides her  _Bastet_ alias.

"You forgot. We met years before I was captured and you didn't even know," Kallista trailed off.

Morrison was silent as he thought back to the time of when they met or at least tried to. Kallista laughed softly as she patted the man on his shoulder before grabbing her small bag and made her way to the carrier, leaving the man to his thoughts. Morrison huffed as he turned to watch the woman get into the carrier. In the back of his mind he couldn't shake off the feeling of dread, he couldn't exactly figure out it started or how, but it was there and now more prevalent.

* * *

 

"ETA is about four hours on cruising speed, should we go over mission details again?" Danica suggested as she scrolled through the information on her datapad.

"The mission itself seems to be simple enough, but we should just in case," Idoya commented.

"Sounds good to me," Magnus commented.

Kallista held open her hand creating a small holographic screen to that everyone could see, she then expanded it making it bigger.

"Look at you and your fancy suit," Magnus chuckled.

"Do favors to get rewards or just put yourself out there to try new things," Kallista replied

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Magnus sighed.

"We're meeting with the CEO of Sterling Manufacturing for a few different reasons. The first to question him and his partner about the kidnapping the occurred 3 months prior," Kallista began.

"So that's the CEO was kidnapped," Idoya commented.

"Yeah. It was all over the news their PR had a hard time with it. It was a shit show," Magnus chuckled.

"Do we know of the other CEO that was kidnapped?" Idoya asked.

"The CEO of Pavetti Technologies, Quinn Pavetti, the daughter of the old tech mogul Callister Pavetti," Kallista replied.

"Will we make contact with her while we're in Detroit?" Idoya asked.

"So serious Idoya," Magnus commented.

"Sorry...it's my first real time on the field," Idoya replied and sighed.

"Don't apologize. It's great that you're here. You've also come a long way from what you were before," Danica spoke up.

"Yeah…" Idoya commented as she looked at Kallista for reassurance, Kallista nodded with a small smile.

Kallista knew that Idoya had come a long way from her recovery from almost being beaten inches from death. It took a lot of convincing from Idoya's therapists and the reassurance from Konrad and, one of the nurses assigned to Blackwatch, to let Idoya go. Gabriel was hesitant, Lyudmila insisted and Kallista, of course, welcomed it. In the back of her mind, Kallista knew that the woman still had her insecurities, but had confidence in her regardless.

"We are currently meeting with Mr. Sterling Black and his partner only. I do have some suspicions that Ms. Pavetti is in Detroit but with no intention of meeting with Overwatch," Kallista replied.

"Then?" Idoya asked.

"That leads to the second reason for why we are meeting with Mr. Black," Kallista began.

"In addition to being kidnapped, his company is one of the lead manufacturers in creating Omnic parts. Granted the Ominium isn't active but there are signs pointing to him and few others about illegal activities," Magnus cut in.

"It's not the most opportune time to have something like that happen, especially when tensions are so high," the man finished as he shifted in his seat.

"What do you mean?" Idoya asked.

"There was a recent Omnic attack in the city of Detroit and in retaliation, an Omnic sanctuary was attacked," Danica said as she handed the data pad to Idoya. Idoya quickly took the datapad, her whiskey-colored eyes quickly reading the news article.

Kallista flipped through images attached to the news article on the holographic screen. Various images of buildings damaged, on fire, bodies strewn about both human and Omnic. Silence fell between the small group as Idoya looked over the information on the pad in her hands. Kallista was the first to break the silence.

"For the final reason, the Cheshire cat has been the suspect of all of this. Being the bearer of bad news, Detroit could easily explode into war with all of the tension that has been simmering," Kallista sighed.

"We don't have any motives, nothing else to really go on as to why the Cheshire cat is doing all of this...we can assume but that only does so much but from what we know it just looks like they are inciting hatred for Omnics," Danica commented

"We have to stop them. I cannot let them incite hatred against Omnics, they deserve as many rights as humans...this-" Idoya began, her voice wavered with anger as she started the digital image on the datapad.

"I know...and that's why I wanted you to come with me," Kallista replied as she closed her hand ending the holographic screen.

"I also have a suspicion that there's something else is going on that we haven't officially discovered yet," Kallista added.

"You think so?" Danica sighed.

"Unfortunately that means that she has something to back up her suspicion," Magnus said.

"Why is it ‘unfortunate’?" Kallista asked.

"I dunno your methods are a bit shady," Magnus shrugged.

"Excuse me? My methods gets results," Kallista bit back.

"Yeeeah...not always legal," Magnus commented.

"All I hear is complaints," Kallista rolled her eyes at the man.

"Don't give me that haughty accent," Magnus laughed.

"Kallista...you know I trust you. So you know I'm here to stay," Idoya commented, stopping the squabbling between the two.

"Good," Kallista nodded.

"You two really do fight like brother and sister," Danica laughed slightly.

"He's no brother of mine," Kallista huffed.

"I wouldn't be related to her. She's adopted," Magnus huffed.

"Right. Anyways, since we got the gist of the mission details covered we have at least three hours left," Danica commented.

"We're going to arrive at Mr. Black's private airport around 0700 hours and transported to Sterling HQ after we arrive. We won't have much time for rest so It might be best to get some rest or read up on what's going on in the US," the red-haired woman replied.

"Sounds like a plan," Magnus replied as he took out his laptop

_We have now reached the Atlantic Ocean, now switching to cruising speed. Estimated time of arrival to Detroit Michigan, 4 hours and 56 minutes._

Kallista leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes, she could feel a slight throb at the back of her right eye. The beginnings of a migraine but then again she was stressed and the mission wasn't helping her.

It was a simple and straightforward mission, but different in a sense that there was more to Sterling Black than what Blackwatch was going to investigate. After Overwatch's mission to rescue the two CEOs that were supposedly kidnapped by the Cheshire cat and exposed some of their dirty laundries but there was something that was bothering her about the whole situation.

This wasn't the first time the Cheshire Cat had appeared and their method was different than the last. Kallista gently began to rub her temples when she felt her cell phone vibrate in her jacket pocket. She figured it was an update from Malik on what she had asked him to do before she left.

It was Reyes that messaged her.

[Reyes: Even though I don't need to tell you this, but watch your back while you're there]

[K. Kaines: I will. Don't worry about me, your mission is more important.]

[Reyes: You're more worried about me than I am]

[K. Kaines: You always have your worry placed on others instead of yourself]

[Reyes: You sound just like him. Are you scolding me too?]

[K. Kaines: Are you talking about Morrison? LOL!]

[Reyes: Who else do you think I'm talking about?]

[K. Kaines: Aww he cares about you Gabo…]

[Reyes: I can feel your sarcasm Kallista]

[K. Kaines: Ha. Ha. Ha...you know I don't have the right to scold you, it's not my place]

[Reyes: You think so?]

[K. Kaines: ...am I supposed to think different?]

[Reyes: I was just curious...]

[K. Kaines: Are you...hinting at something Reyes?]

[Reyes: Am I?]

[K. Kaines: Reyes...why are you like this?

[Reyes: Do me proud out there Kallista]

[K. Kaines: You're such a jerk…]

Kallista grimaced at her cell phone when she received no more messages from the man which left her confused, was she missing something? Was he telling her something and it was going over her head?

The team arrived in the United States and landed with no issues, when they arrived they were greeted by a woman dressed in black from head to toe, her red hair pulled into a tight bun and black square framed glasses sat neatly on the bridge of her nose.

"Welcome to the United States," one of the red-haired women began as the team moved over to the sleek black car.

"Thank you," Kallista nodded.

"We are running right on schedule and would like to remain that way, if you are all set to go please enter the vehicle," the woman said as she opened the door to the vehicle.

"Let's go," Kallista said as she turned to the others.

Idoya and Magnus nodded to Kallista and Danica before they got into the vehicle, Danica nodded to Kallista and followed suit.

"I assume that you are Kaines from the Overwatch Intelligence Division. My name is Ava MacAllister, a pleasure to meet you," Ava said as she extended her hand.

"You're correct, and nice to meet you," Kallista shook the woman's hand before getting into the vehicle with her

Within minutes they were escorted into Sterling HQ and was greeted by the CEO Sterling Black and his partner. The office itself was minimalistic, cold, organized a snapshot into the personality of the man. Kallista quickly looked over the man noticing the finer details, his perfectly slicked back hair, the fine detailing on his suit, the black gloves the man wore, and the smug smirk on his face. She quickly eyed the man standing casually next to the desk and assumed the man was Sterling's partner.

"Mr. Black thank you for allowing us to assist you in the situation. I am Danica from the Overwatch Division and these are colleagues-" Danica began.

"Magnus, Intel Division,"

"Lumbre,"

"Kaines, Overwatch Intel Division. I will be in charge of the investigation while Overwatch is here. Hopefully, this will take no longer than a day," Kallista introduced herself and told the two males of their plans.

"Straight to the point, I like that," Sterling said as he leaned on his desk, his attention on Kallista.

"In all honesty, I didn't think Overwatch would send a whole Intel team for a situation like this...I'm surprised," Sterling commented.

"Sometimes we need to make an appearance to handle things but don't worry, we won't stay long," Kallista replied.

"Those who hide in the shadows and masks. Seems kind of shady," the man said commenting on Kallista’s mask.

"Shady? It’s a preference that has nothing to do with my job performance," Kallista replied.

The man scoffed at Kallista's comment and narrowed his eyes at the woman. Kallista unfazed made a mental note to be cautious of the man. Sterling, on the other hand, chuckled at the exchange before he spoke.

"This is my partner-" Sterling began.

"Carmelo Mendoza of Mendoza Pharmaceutical," Carmelo replied.

"I hope you get this taken care of asap, everywhere that Overwatch touches only sparks more tension," Carmelo commented.

"That sounds like a generalist statement Mr. Mendoza. But I will not go into further details about this. I'll go over a specific plan of what's to happen and if any of that doesn't work with your schedule we can possibly work out some changes," Kallista began, she noted the two men glancing at each other before turning their attention back to her.

"My colleagues and I will record your accounts on the kidnapping along with the staff that was involved. While that is happening myself and Magnus will run diagnostics on your company's system and networks for remnants of the hacking from the Cheshire Cat," Kallista explained.

"Are you actually to capture them?" Carmelo asked.

"It depends on how much you work with Overwatch," Kallista replied.

"My My My. I didn't know that Overwatch was so snarky," Sterling commented.

"Just the Intel Department," Magnus commented.

"Noted," Sterling chuckled.

"Danica-" Kallista began.

"Before you being on your little investigation I have a few rules that you need to follow or I'm calling this off," Sterling began.

"Ok," Kallista nodded.

"You are to be escorted to the Server room, my office, and the conference room. Those places only. You need to ask permission to go anywhere else. Just because you're recognized by the governments around the world doesn't give you access to all business files. Everything that you find will be reviewed by myself or Carmelo," Sterling said as he started to approach Kallista and stopped in front of her.

"Anything else?" Kallista questioned.

"No,"

"Good. Dani, Lumbre," Kallista began.

"Understood,"

"I assume you two need access to the server room. Eve," Sterling called.

A woman almost identical to Ava walked in adjusting her white framed glasses as she stood by the door and waited for her next orders.

"Take them to the server room. We're going to the conference room on level 3" Sterling ordered as he turned to Carmelo.

"Of course, Sir," Eve nodded and motioned for Kallista and Magnus to exit the office. Danica and Idoya watched as the two exited the office with a knowing look.

"I am Eve MacAllister, I am sure you've already met my twin sister," Eva began as she began leading the two down the hall towards the server room.

"Yes. We've had the pleasure of meeting her," Magnus replied.

"I will get straight to the point. Was she involved with the kidnapping?" Kallista asked.

"Unfortunately yes," Eve replied as she rounded a corner, Magnus and Kallista followed.

"How often do you schedule a routine maintenance on your network's security?" Kallista asked.

"Daily," Eve replied

"Who has access to the server room?" Kallista continued to question the woman before they made it to their destination.

"Myself, Ava, the IT department, Mr. Sterling and Mr. Mendoza," Eve replied.

"Security Cameras?"

"You'll have to request access to those," Eve replied as she looked over her shoulder at Kallista. Kallista noted the strange color of her eyes, they were the same orange color of her hair.

"Alright," Kallista replied.

"Is the maintenance done manually or remote?" Magnus questioned.

"90 percent is done remotely from the IT department on level 5, monthly they conduct manual maintenance," the woman replied.

"Have you heard of any concerns about the security before the kidnapping?" Magnus questioned, not realizing they had stopped at the Server room for the building.

"You can see all of the queries that have been made by all personnel within the building here," Eve said as she motioned to the door in front of them.

"Thank you. I assume that you will be outside watching us correct?" Kallista asked.

"Yes, unless I am needed elsewhere," Eve replied.

"Ok," Kallista nodded to Magnus and entered into the server room with Magnus behind her. They quickly surveyed the room taking note of the two terminals before they moved. Once the door slid close Kallista spoke.

"Let's get this over with as quickly as possible. I'm getting a strange vibe from this place," Kallista said as she went over to the nearest terminal.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Magnus said as he went to the second terminal and connected his laptop to it.

There were a few moments of silence before Magnus spoke.

"Right away I was able to trace fragments from the cyber-attack only none of them are really salvageable but they do have similar markers to the Cheshire cat," Magnus said

"Signs of corruption or deterioration?" Kallista asked.

"Both," Magnus replied

Kallista looked over her shoulder at the door then at the man now sitting on the floor, Magnus nodded and locked the door to the room.

"You obviously know something already," Magnus commented.

"I have my suspicions...about the Cheshire cat...but I can't say it here…" Kallista began.

"So you were holding more information from Reyes," Magnus replied unamused.

_{Can you hear me, Kalli? Kalliiiiii~ Hewwoo?}_

"Are you like twelve Malik?" Kallista asked.

_{Age is nothing but a number, I mean if I look 12 I guess that's a plus? Luckily I have a fake ID}_

"Don't dodge this Kallista," Magnus huffed.

"Not dodging," Kallista replied as the man shook his head as he listened to the conversation.

_{I finished most of the research you asked me to do and there are some interesting pieces like you said there would be}_

Kallista shook her head at the man's attempt to pull a British accent as he began to explain some of the details before he was interrupted.

"Even I can do a better accent than that," Magnus chuckled.

_{Hey, Maggs. Eat my entire ass}_

"I'll pass sweetheart. You're not my type," Magnus scoffed.

"Focus. What did you find?" Kallista asked as she looked over her shoulder at the door, she could hear movement outside and footsteps of someone approaching the door several feet down the hall.

_{There's a 99.8 percent chance of your theory being correct...which is extremely high from just a..uh...what do they say?}_

"A hunch, hypothesis, etc," Magnus chimed in as he focused on Kallista who seemed to be deep in thought.

_{Yeah that. I guess that's what expected from Miss MIT & Harvard}_

"Flattery will get you nowhere Malik," Kallista scoffed.

Magnus opened his mouth to say something but held back. Even if she was holding information back she would tell everything once she had everything to back it her reasoning. He did have to admit that it was hard to keep himself from reporting her to their commander, every time she held back information made him question her and her morals but knew it was useless to ask. He knew that Reyes trusted her with his life.

"Don't look at me like that Magnus… I'll tell you...in the meantime-" Kallista began.

The door to the server room slid open revealing Carmelo and Eve. Kallista heard the man approaching several feet away, she didn't think he would check up on them this quickly.

"Yes. Hello," Kallista asked as she glanced over her shoulder at the two. She noticed that Eve stood at the door while Carmelo approached Magnus on the floor.

"Have you found anything yet?" Carmelo asked and blatantly ignored Kallista. Magnus glanced at Kallista noting that she rolled her eyes at the man and focused back on the terminal.

"Remnants of code that may have been created by the Cheshire Cat. They are too corrupted to try to reconstruct, we're going to compare previous codes and reconstruct them that way," Magnus replied.

"Anything else?" the man asked.

"No," Magnus replied.

"How many times are you going to check in on us?" Kallista questioned.

"As many times as I need to. Just make sure you take what you need and nothing else," Carmelo replied.

"Overwatch has no interest in how your business conducts itself. So you don't have to worry about us taking anything," Magnus spoke up.

"Keep in mind that Sterling Manufacturing and not to mention my partner was held at gunpoint we are weary and suspicious of all. Don't forget that," Carmelo said he moved towards the door. Magnus and Kallista glanced at each other before they turned their attention back to the two.

"Next time I come in here, it'll be to escort you from the premises, "Carmelo said as he walked out, Eve silently followed.

Kallista watched as the door slid close and listened to the soft murmurs that no normal ear could pick up.

"I _f they find anything you alert me immediately."_

"Y _es sir"_

"Magnus… keep your guard up always...we seem to be the enemy here," Kallista commented as she stepped away from the terminal.

"We come in peace would have been nice to announce when we first got here," Magnus sighed.

"Sounds like we might have to do some damage control of our own," Kallista said as she pulled out her cellphone.

"Sounds like a big project," Magnus commented as he focused back on his work.

"Exactly," Kallista said as she moved towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Magnus questioned.

"To meet with a source of mine," Kallista replied.

"A source?! You just got here how?" Magnus questioned.

"You know, being a well-known socialite has its perks, Maggs. I'll be back in like an hour," Kallista said as she exited the room.

"The hell?" Magnus grumbled and sighed at the woman's antics.

Kallista leaned back in her seat as she looked at the woman across from her, ignoring the curious glances of the people as they walked by on the streets. This was her first time in the United States since she last attended Harvard years ago, she had spent most of her time inside of the Overwatch HQ in Switzerland.

It was different.

"I didn't expect for you to reach out to me so soon," the woman said before she sipped on her coffee.

"I didn't expect for you to meet me so quickly. Planning ahead are we Camille?" Kallista questioned the dark-haired woman.

"Planning ahead? No. You know I work better when I do impromptu things," Camille replied, her emerald green eyes focused on Kallista across from her. Kallista tapped her nails on the marble patio table as she waited for the woman to speak again.

"We know the situation...its common sense," Camille replied as she placed a piece of her ebony hair behind her ear and over her shoulder.

"Explain it to me. Because it sounds like there's a shit storm that's about to happen that I’ll have to deal with," Kallista said as she crossed her legs.

"Once you were caught we all decided to split up and remain in contact. Long story short, it's a copycat, using Cheshire Cat as a scapegoat to incite a rebellion against Omnics basically leaning towards war… again," Camille sighed before taking a

"Is that what you think?" Kallista asked she knew in the back of her mind that if Blackwatch or Overwatch didn't step in there where they did, there would be an escalation, civil unrest and more.

"It's what we see. This path can only go one way," Camille replied.

"The string of code they decided to use, the imagery, everything. We all know that the Cheshire was retired," the woman added.

Kallista sighed as she listened to her old friend explain the situation, she already knew what was coming. Camille Tesfaye, also known as Dead Fox Hound, she was one of the founding members of the God Brigade within Anonymous and a longtime friend she met at MIT years ago. In a way the two were the Cheshire Cat, Camille spearheaded the creation and imagery for the Cheshire cat, the two created the code for it.

At the time Kallista had seen the events unfolding under the guise of the Cheshire Cat she already knew that something was wrong but needed to see how it played out before she made her decision to track down her closest friend.

"Camille," Kallista began.

"I already have what's left of the original," Camille said as she dug into her designer purse and pulled out a black lipstick tube and pushed it to her. Kallista smirked as she looked at the tube, she knew what it was it and it served as a reminder of when they were in graduate school together. It was the easiest way to give information to one another without being suspected.

"This is a good lipstick brand…"Kallista commented.

"Only the best for those who deserve it… your makeup game is lacking Kallista. They treating you ok in Overwatch?" Camille asked.

Kallista chuckled as she looked at the woman, she didn't even tell her what had happened but I knew the woman was smart enough to figure out things with subtle hints, and the fact that she was the one to send her the message.

"Too tired to put on makeup but that's a story for another time. How are the others? “Kallista asked.

"I will hold you to that Kallista. Last time I heard, everyone was doing quite well, Samantha recently got married, Gwen is pursuing her Ph.D., Diana has been traveling, Bridgit has her own office now and just recently started practice, and our sweet Gabriella just scored a really big job as a freelancer. We're all doing well," Camille replied as she tapped her white nails on the edge of her coffee tumbler.

"That's good to hear," Kallista said with a small smile. She knew in the back of her mind that she was a bit jealous of her friends and their ability to have a normal life, to move on and pursue their goals. Something that was taken from her when she was captured.

"What's good is that you're not in maximum prison and I won't ask for details, but just be careful ok. Let us know if Squad or the Brigade needs to step in," Camille said as she watched as Kallista stood.

"Anything?" Kallista asked.

"Anything. Goddesses or not," Camille said.

"I'll keep that in mind. Of course, I won't be able to fully pay you back right away," Kallista replied.

"I'll add it to your list of shit you owe me," Camille said as she waved off the woman.

" _Oh gee thanks_ ," Kallista replied sarcastically.

After a quick hug and goodbye, Kallista quickly made her way back to Sterling HQ. Just as she made her way on the premise, she heard Lyudmila’s voice calling out for her.

_{Kallista come in... Kallista!}_

She had forgotten to put the earpiece back in after her short conversation with Camille. Digging into her hoodie, she placed the small earpiece into her ear.

"Lyuda what's-" Kallista started.

_{I need you to get back to Europe, there's an emergency.}_

Kallista could tell that there was something wrong, something big especially because Lyudmila was on the mission in Italy with Gabriel and others. She never used the comms outside of their mission unless something happened. Lyudmila was usually calm and collected regardless of the situation but this time, Kallista could hear hesitation and hints of panic in her voice.

"Lyuda what's going on? What happened?" Kallista began.

_{Kallista...the mission has been compromised, Reyes has been taken}_

 


	16. Recovered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mid-2064
> 
> The mission to rescue Commander Reyes was a success, with the aftermath and possible consequences of what's to come, Blackwatch needs to recover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The mission to save Reyes is an actual thing, a friend of mine wrote it. Hopefully it will be posted soon?

Mid-2064

* * *

 

"How is he?" Morrison asked quietly as he stood outside of the hospital room, his eyes focused on the figure that laid motionless in the hospital bed, and to the figure next to it.

"He's recovering quickly...I mean that in terms of healing," Angela replied as she looked at the datapad in her hand.

"Granted he's been out for three days, but he's lucky that they got to him when they did," the woman added as she too peeked into the room.

"Thank god," Morrison exhaled as if he was holding his breath, he was thankful for Blackwatch's quick response, and even more thankful that they were able to rescue the man and bring him back in one piece. Even with their daily squabbles, he would be lost without the man, they had suffered so much with one another, been through wars, pain, agony and more. They were each other’s rock when they were lost when they needed a reminder they were there for each other.

The ambush had happened too quickly, that Morrison wasn’t able to respond efficiently or how he wanted to. . His hands were tied, he couldn’t drop what he was doing to rush to save his friend, he couldn’t drop the meeting between the United States, Mexico, and English Government, he couldn’t send out a squad to search for him.

He was helpless. It hurt. It hurt more than he would admit, to not be included in the mission.

The mission was carefully and quickly crafted with the help of Gabriel's Lieutenant, Intel director and some additional help from the Overwatch division. Together they raided the facility where the man was being held and even subdued the target they were meant to capture. The initial mission was a failure, but successful as they had rescued the man.

Morrison stood silently as he peered through the hospital door and at the two asleep in the room. He made a mental note to ask the Intel department about the mission details and for the reports, once things had settled down, right now was too soon. He needed to make sure that the man would pull through his injuries before he began to question anyone.

"She's been here ever since," Angela commented quietly. Morrison grunted quietly as he focused on the smaller figure.

"How is she?" Morrison questioned.

"She hasn't really said much or eaten anything for that matter. I'm sure she's having an episode," Angela replied. Morrison exhaled softly, months before she was captured, tortured and supposedly recovered without any issues but even though the masks she wore he knew that she suffered and that this was too much for her.

"Sometimes...sometimes I wonder if what we are doing is worth it and if it's right...just…" Morrison began. Angela shifted from one leg to the other and placed a piece of stray hair behind her ear before she spoke.

"Peace is what the world wants. Peace is what we strive for. The people believe that we can maintain that peace and if we will not do it, who will?" Angela posed the question to the man before she was pulled away by another nurse. Morrison turned his attention back to the man and woman in the sterile hospital room, his brows knitted together in apprehension, a sense of heaviness in his stomach.

Either way, he knew the woman was right but was it worth it? Morrison ran a hand through his short blond hair, dragging his hand over his face before he stole one more glance at the two figures asleep. Hesitantly he stepped back away from the door.

The soft steady sound of a heart monitor beeps rose Gabriel from his forced slumber, slowly he his eyes fluttered open, the glaring fluorescent light forced him to squint and attempt to shield his face. A slight tug of his skin on his hand stopped him. Second by second this surroundings began to make more sense, he was in the medbay? No, a hospital the stench of a peculiar antiseptic hung in the air and around him. His mind was sluggish still in a haze of whatever he was drugged with and he assumed the medication that was pumped into his system to assist his recovery.

The mission in Italy, being separated from his crew, captured by the target, a huge error on his part.

The rest of his memories were hazy at best and knew that it would take more time for his memories to clear. His mind briefly wondered about how long had he been out, was the mission successful, so many questions he needed slowly looked around the sterile white hospital room and to the woman that was asleep near the edge of the bed, next to him.

Cautiously Gabriel reached for her face, his fingertips brushed along her cheek, gently rousing her from her slumber. He watched her eyes slowly flutter open and her crystal blue eyes focus on him.

"Gabriel-!" Kallista whispered as she quickly shot up.

"Hey," Gabriel croaked, his voice was hoarse almost a whisper. He had a small smile on his lips as he continued to hold her gaze. Kallista silently stared back at the man, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Kallista-" Gabriel started.

Without thinking Kallista climbed into the hospital bed and into his arms, a grunt rumbled in his chest as he welcomed her into his arms despite the pain.

"I'm here...I'm here," Gabriel whispered as an attempt to soothe and quiet the woman sobbing into his shoulder. Gently he tilted the woman's head up to wipe away her tears, he was in pain but seeing her cry pained him as well. Her crystal blue eyes, hazy and clouded with tears as she looked back at him.

"Shh…"

He brushed a piece of stray hair from her face before he guided her to him and pressed his lips to hers. Kallista slowly pulled back confusion laced in her features, cautiously as if she would break or run away from him if he touched her too hard. He lovingly carded his fingers through her dark tresses, before burying his hand in her hair and pulling her into another kiss.

The kiss was hesitant as if they would break if they pressed to hard or if they sought for too much. They were hesitant but desperate to feel each other to confirm that they were both there, that he was there, that they were on the verge of losing him.

Cautiously Kallista pulled back from the kiss, a shaky sigh escaped her lips as they pressed their heads together, a gesture they used to calm one another down from the trials of their workload. Kallista pulled back from the small intimate gesture and turned her attention towards the door and the tall woman standing in the doorway. Gabriel turned his attention to the woman as well.

"I can leave if you need me to give you two a moment," Lyudmila commented as she kept her eyes averted from the two. Kallista was the first to move, she wiped her eyes as she slid from the hospital bed and quickly exited the room. Lyudmila watched as Kallista quickly exited the room, she then turned her attention back to the man situated in the bed.

"Reyes...how are you feeling?" the graying woman asked as she moved to sit on the chair next to the man's bed.

"Honestly?" Gabriel asked.

"Besides the interruption," Lyudmila added before he could respond.

"I feel like shit, my head feels like it's split open, my ribs are fucking killing me and…" Gabriel trailed off. Lyudmila watched him shift slightly, grunting in pain as he tried to move.

"A sore shoulder…" Gabriel finished.

"That's to be expected...your injuries were...significant," Lyudmila commented quietly, the mission still fresh on her mind.

Gabriel glanced at the woman as she leaned back in the chair and slouched, she was exhausted, dark circles under her eyes, paler than usual skin. He watched as she covered her face with her hands, hiding some emotion that threatened to spill in front of him. He knew that everything that transpired was dragged on her, he knew that from the beginning she didn't believe in herself to lead, she believed that she was second best and didn't deserve to be in the position that she was in.

She had her doubts about everything including herself.

"Gabriel…I...did I do good?" Lyudmila began, her voice strained but muffled by her hands.

"You did. You were perfect, I’m still alive," Gabriel said softly.

" _Dmitri_ would be proud of you Lyudmila,"

He saw the woman's shoulders tremble slightly before she exhaled deeply and dragged her hands down her face her hazel eyes focused on the man. He knew that the woman needed time to digest everything that had happened, to come to terms with her mission plans, execution, and everything.

"Update me on what's been going on. Tell me everything," Gabriel said as his eyes slid closed as he seemed to relax into the hospital bed.

"Let me call the nurse first...to at least get you something in your stomach," Lyudmila began as she reached for the "call nurse" button.

"Fine...but…" Gabriel began.

"Hm?" Lyudmila asked she leaned back in her chair.

"How long have I been out?”  Gabriel asked quietly, he grimaced as he began to rub his temples.

"Three days," Lyudmila replied.

"Three days….” Gabriel trailed off.

"Yes…I’ve been stopping here every day to see if you were awake while Kallista stayed here the entire time," Lyudmila answered.

"Yeah…"

* * *

 

"I feel like I lost 30 years off of my life," Natalie sighed as she plopped down on the small sofa in Morrison's office, Morrison sighed as well as he sat in his chair.

"How is everyone in the Blackwatch Division?" Morrison questioned.

Lyudmila was unavailable as she quickly managed to pick up all of the responsibilities of ongoing missions and to keep the fallout within the Blackwatch ranks. Kallista was in no shape to answer him she was enthralled with Gabriel at the hospital and assisted Lyudmila with containing the fallout of the failed mission. Natalie was his next best choice but made sure to keep it transparent.

"They're still stressed, honestly we're still all stressed post-op. It’s been three days and we still feel like we have that rush. I hope he wakes up soon. We’re all stressed the fuck out," Natalie sighed. Like the woman he wanted the man to wake up as well, he wanted to make sure that he was going to be ok.

"Are all of the missions back on track and moving forward?" Morrison questioned as he leaned back in his chair and focused on the lounging woman. Even in the midst of a crisis or stressful situation, she looked calm, relaxed but he knew it was just a mask to hide behind.

They all had their masks, including himself.

"For the most part. I think the only missions that are on hold are the ones in the Intel department," Natalie replied.

"By Lyudmila's orders or Kallista's?" Morrison asked.

"Lyudmila.I mean they aren’t completely stopped I’m sure you know they are leaning on the Overwatch Intel dept. to help out a little bit,” Natalie explained.

“Kallista delegated power to Aleks and so she’s out for a few—well more than a few days…she looked terrible…I feel bad for her,”Natalie's voice trailed off at the end, thoughts of the mission flashing through her head.

"Everything will regain normalcy once Reyes wakes up," Morrison sighed heavily.

"Is that how you feel Morrison? Don't you care about the wellbeing of the Blackwatch agents?" Natalie said as she glared at the man.

"You got me all wrong Natalie, I definitely care about everyone's wellbeing. I don't know what Gabe sees on his side unless he tells me, and not being told anything makes me worry more about the agents that are on the field. There's too much tension and bullshit bureaucracy nowadays it's just-" Morrison started and sighed heavily as he began to rub his temples.

Natalie laughed as she stood and moved over to the man, Morrison arched an eyebrow at the woman who now was seated in his lap.

"You find this funny?" Morrison questioned, he saw her signature smirk on her lips. Her small slender hand went to cup the side of his jaw, her thumb rubbing over the small stubble of his beard.

"You didn't shave," Natalie commented quietly.

"No time…" Morrison replied softly as he gently twisted a piece of her blonde tipped hair around his finger.

"Do you...have time...for me?" Natalie asked as her golden eyes met his baby blues.

"Of course, Morrison's voice was low, barely audible as he leaned down, sealing their lips together in a kiss.

"I know. Just a little be longer," Kallista murmured.

"Waiting is boring Kalli," Malik commented.

"What's the point of moving preemptively when we don't have anything to base it on? Like Magnus said once we activate Thoth there's no going back," Aleks commented.

"Boo. Let's go in guns blazing," Malik laughed.

"Are you out of your mind?" Linda questioned

"Am I? Maybe? We are all a little fucked up in the head," Malik laughed.

"We don't have-" Aleks began.

"In this room, my orders are the only ones that need to be followed, this assignment...this mission is more than just a simple takedown. Everything that happens from now on is not coincident, it's planned," Kallista stated.

Her accent laced every word that came from her lips, her tone, firm and with purpose. Everyone in the room turned their attention to the petite woman in between their desks.

"We will activate it when I say so and not moment sooner or later. I know that we have at least a 25-minute window into Black's networks before their IT department picks up on the intrusion. With that in mind, the Thoth command will disable one of their towers forcing them to manually activate it. We should have more than enough time, but there's something that's bothering me," Kallista began.

"There's that haughty English accent we all love," Magnus teased.

"Quiet," Kallista replied.

"What about orders from Lieutenant Dontsova?" Linda asked.

"I don't fancy repeating myself Linda," Kallista replied.

"R-Right," Linda replied.

"It sounds like someone is about to go over Lyuda's head," Magnus teased.

"I don't know if I could handle the fallout from this," Aleks sighed.

"Director Kaines are you sure?" Linda questioned.

"Don't encourage her Linda," Aleks sighed again

"Kallista I love it when you talk so seriously…" Malik smirked.

"By the way, you're here so that means...Reyes is…" Magnus trailed off.

The room became silent as the mention of the man's name, Lyudmila made sure that she was the one to rescue him, she went with him when he was medevac from the field, and to a hospital in Zurich. She had spent all of her time and energy at the man's side.

"He's awake and Lyuda is with him," Kallista replied

"That's good news!" Aleks spoke up first

"Thank god," Linda sighed as she seemed to sink into her chair.

"Of course he was going to get better. He's Gabriel Reyes, the Peacekeeper, the Wolf Pack leader, the Reaper, our fearless commander. He's not gonna let that take him out so easily," Magnus chortled.

"Ayy!" Malik laughed in agreement.

"Yeah," Kallista replied.

Silence fell over the room again, Aleks glanced at Magnus who casually glanced at Kallista then to Malik. Malik shrugged in turn, Magnus rolled his eyes and glanced back at Aleks, Aleks glared at the man. Linda watched silently as the three men spoke through eye contact with each other.

"Director Kaines….you should probably rest. Aleks and I can handle the data from the Cheshire cat," Linda began.

"Yeah. Malik and I can handle the additional mission Intel and reports from the recon crew. We'll have the reports to you ASAP to review. We'll even send them to you," Magnus spoke up. Kallista glanced at the four members in the room and sighed.

"So basically you are all kicking me out," Kallista replied bluntly.

"Yes," everyone in the room answered together.

"Fine...I guess," Kallista sighed as she ran a hand through her hair.

They knew that she and Lyudmila had run themselves ragged to make sure that Blackwatch ran smoothly and to keep their commander's shortfall within the ones that were involved with his rescue.

"Call me if anything changes or needs approval," Kallista said as she exited the room. The four members in the room glanced at each other before speaking.

"She forgot her jacket," Linda commented.

"She's in bad shape," Aleks said as he leaned back in to his chair.

"Not gonna lie, I can't believe that we let her get to this point," Magnus said as he leaned onto his desk and buried his hands in his thick messy hair.

"Hey. She's an adult. She can fuck herself up if she wants to," Malik commented.

"You know how much Reyes is protective of her-" Magnus started.

"Even so. She knows what she's doing. She's a smart woman she'll deal with the consequences later," Malik replied.

"Smart words coming from someone who doesn't listen to the advice he gives," Aleks commented under his breath

"Wanna say that louder? I can't hear...you know hearing implants," Malik said as he pointed to his ears and the implant.

"If you didn't hear it, it wasn't important," Aleks replied.

"I thought everything you say is important Aleks. Tell me," Malik insisted

"Can we focus here?" Linda spoke up as she took one of her holographic screens and flicked it towards the large screen in the back of the room.

"Here's all the data that was pulled from Sterling Manufacturing. We currently still have the Thoth Observers in place but in the meantime, we need to piece together what Idoya and Danica were able to get from the interview with Mr. Black, Mr. Mendoza, and Eve MacAllister," Linda began as she pulled up the corresponding data.

"Right off the bat, the MacAllister twins are the most suspicious along with Sterling's partner, Carmelo Mendoza," Magnus said.

"I preemptively did some queries on the MacAllister twins and I couldn't find anything, so I did more in-depth searching within Sterling's and Mendoza's employees and what I found is that they are employed by both of the men," Malik began.

"Eve works for Mendoza and Ava works for Sterling and yet Eve was involved in the kidnapping," Malik continued.

"So then it's the old switch-a-roo," Magnus commented.

"That seems too easy," Aleks commented.

"It's plausible. They are identical twins so it could make things a little harder," Linda added as she brought up dossiers of the two women.

"For clarification reasons, we are marking the twins as the main suspects of the Cheshire cat and marking Eve MacAllister a victim in the kidnapping of Mr. Black," Magnus stated.

"So a very early hypothesis, Mendoza is up to something and the MacAllister twins are the starting point," Aleks started when his cell phone vibrated.

"So it sounds like we need to look into the twins," Magnus stated bluntly.

"Malik since you already did some research on the MacAllister twins, would you kindly continue to look into them?" Linda asked.

"I guess since you asked so nicely," Malik shrugged.

"The next thing to do is look into Mendoza and Black, and then their financial," Aleks spoke up as he put his cell phone away.

"Sounds like we have a plan in the meantime," Magnus commented.

"Let's get started then," Aleks nodded.

* * *

 

Kallista leaned on the guardrail as she looked down at the open fields that surrounded the Overwatch base. A pink cigarette hung from her lips as she stared into the distance, three days after the rescue mission her mind was still in overdrive without rest. She had convinced herself to keep working, there was a leak from within Blackwatch with no clear sign of its origin and with Reyes being out of commission she stepped up to help Lyudmila keep Blackwatch functioning.

She didn't have time for rest, regardless of the steady throb and blinding pressure of her migraine, the stinging pain of her dry eyes, she needed to keep going.

 _"_ An _' here I thought I'd find Morrison up here an instead I find you, Kalli,"_

Kallista kept her attention focused out on the fields, lighting her cigarette.

"Don't call me Kalli. It's too close to Talli," Kallista replied sharply.

"Oh damn, I felt that cold shoulder," Jesse chuckled as he casually strolled over to her.

"What do you want Jesse?" Kallista questioned

"Came up here to check up on ya," Jesse replied.

"I'm still alive," Kallista replied.

"An' smokin' I see," Jesse commented. He had never seen the woman smoke before and didn’t know if that was something she had picked up from Reyes or if it was just something else she hid.

"Only when stressed," Kallista sighed before she took a drag of her cigarette and slowly exhaled the pink colored smoke.

"Kallista you've been doin' this for three days now, Reyes would have my ass if he knew that you were like this," Jesse began, his tone was serious.

"What are you? My dad?" Kallista glared at the man.

"Well...” Jesse grinned sheepishly.

"Jesse. I swear to god," Kallista started, the man laughed alluding to the underhanded dirty joke that he implied, he didn’t mean it. It wasn’t hard to see that everyone was stressed to beyond their limits. He did as much as he could to move things back to normalcy, even though there was nothing normal about Reyes being in the hospital.

“He’s alive an' I assume movin' and talkin' 'bout now. You don't need to keep up your big girl act," Jesse said as he yawned.

"It's not an act," Kallista replied.

"Sure it ain't" Jesse replied as he took out his cell phone.

There was a moment of silence that fell over the two, they knew what was at stake, and they knew what would happen if they failed, they also knew they couldn't fail.

"You did good Kallista. Real good," Jesse said, breaking the silence between them. Kallista took one last drag of the cigarette before she snuffed it out, the bright bubblegum pink paper now black.

"Thanks…Jesse," Kallista murmured as she leaned her head on his shoulder, Jesse chuckled as he moved an arm around her shoulders.

* * *

 

"Way to scare the shit outta of us Reyes," Hayden commented.

"Got to keep you on your toes some way," Gabriel replied

"Was that supposed to be funny? Because it wasn't," Talli commented.

"How about we lay low on the jokes, Gabe," Mikael sighed.

"You all passed my test now get out," Gabriel laughed slightly and winced.

"We went through all of that trouble just to get your old ass back and now you're kicking us out? Rude," Natalie huffed.

"We're glad that you're back commander," Idoya commented quietly.

"I'm proud of all of you numbnuts," Gabriel smirked at the group of people in front of him.

"He's broken. Let's return him and get our money back," Natalie scoffed, a smirk on her lips.

"Natalie. I'm kicking your ass tomorrow," Gabriel frowned at the woman.

"Bring it old man,"

"How much longer are you going to be here?" Talli questioned.

"Till tomorrow. So you all better get your shit together before I get back," Gabriel replied.

"So we goin' out partyin'? Tonight?" Hayden smirked as he looked at the group.

"I'm down to get shit faced," Malik smirked.

"I'm going this time," Talli chimed in.

"Ok. Everyone out. The commander needs rest," Angela said as she stood in the doorway, Konrad stood next to her.

"So you guys were going to tell me about this party too right?" Konrad said as he entered the room with the blonde.

"We'll make sure to let you know when we leave," Mikael nodded.

"You guys better, you all left me last time," Konrad commented bitterly as he checked the IV levels and the man's vitals.

"A doctor's job is never done," Talli commented.

"I'm a nurse," Konrad replied.

"I tried," Talli shrugged.

"Perfect, plan all of your drinking in front of your commander. Real smart all of you," Gabriel commented.

"It's not like you can have us train or anything, not when you aren't around," Malik shrugged.

"Why would you challenge him like that?" Hayden nudged the taller dark-skinned man, Malik shrugged.

"I'll take that as a challenge-" Gabriel started

"Ok, enough. I don't even want to think about your drinking habits, I already know that Dr. Hasibuan and I will see at least three of you in the medbay with a hangover," Angela sighed.

"We just wanna say Hi," Talli smiled.

"Sounds like some of you need to get good," Natalie muttered.

"I'm sure, but everyone out. You're stressing me out with all of your bad drinking habits and you're breaking the visitation limit. Out all of you," Angela ordered.

* * *

It was well past midnight when the two women were able to reconvene with each other. They had been swamped with work for the past three days and now with an assurance that their commander was on his way to a full recovery it took some of the edge off their work.

Lyudmila took on the role as the commander and made sure that everyone returned back to their missions, continued planning vital missions to maintaining the peace, Intel gather and more while still partaking in mission operations and collaborate missions with the Overwatch division. Under the guise of Overwatch. Kallista maintained her role in addition to monitoring the possible fallout of the mission failure and stepped up as a temporary lieutenant in assisting Lyudmila where she couldn't be, mission debriefs, mission planning, all while handling the aftermath of the shortened visit to the United States.

"I think everyone should be up to speed now. There shouldn’t be any more leaks but we'll have to see," Kallista sighed as she leaned back in her chair.

"Hopefully there aren't anymore. Right now it seemed like everything has calmed down but with Reyes being awake and healing faster than usual it will not be much longer until he's back." Lyudmila began.

"But this wouldn't have gone as smoothly without your help. Thank you Kallista," Lyudmila sighed and leaned back in her desk chair.

"Honestly, I just followed you, adapting to what you needed. You did all the work," Kallista shrugged.

"Give yourself more credit Kallista," Lyudmila stated, Kallista shrugged again.

"Not for this. This was all you," Kallista replied casually. Lyudmila sighed softly, a yawn slipped past her lips as she ran a hand through her graying hair.

"More importantly….about what you mentioned," Lyudmila began.

"I didn't find traces from Blackwatch or Overwatch. It's likely that there was a leak in communications. I can't point out the leak due to it not being real time. I can only give hypothetical points and whatever triangulates from our communication points in Italy," Kallista began.

"So...a third-party source," Lyudmila said quietly.

"A possibility," Kallista replied. An uneasy silence blanketed the women as they looked at one another, things were happening too quickly in succession.

"Kallista...” Lyudmila began.

"It could be, it is hard to say at the moment," Kallista replied. The older woman nodded solemnly at Kallista’s comment.

It was the mole hidden within the ranks of Overwatch or Blackwatch that may have caused the previous mission to go to shit.

She already had the suspicion that this mole had the experience and knowledge of technology and how to hide their tracks. Kallista knew that she practically had access to all of Blackwatch's files and networks but was slightly limited when it came to Overwatch. There were some things she couldn't access, some things she couldn't touch without raising suspicions against her.

In short, she had her hands tied when it came to Overwatch, but yet she had one lead and that was Ana Amari. Kallista purposely left that one detail out, accusations was the last thing that Kallista needed. She needed facts and was going to keep that one detail to herself until she was able to investigate.

"Too convenient," Lyudmila commented.

"Exactly," Kallista agreed.

"This...is a bad omen," Lyudmila whispered.

"We'll be fine. There are just some hiccups...I'll find them. I have to...that's why I'm here..." Kallista trailed off. Lyudmila glanced at the woman and then to her computer terminal.

It had been almost five years since Kallista was forced to join Blackwatch under the guise of capturing the mole in Overwatch of Blackwatch. That was the central reason as to why she was recruited has been lost in all of the missions, support, and more. It was as if she was always a part of their team

"Yeah...by the way...he asked for you," Lyudmila suddenly said as she turned on her computer terminal. Kallista placed a piece of loose hair behind her ear as she looked away from the woman.

"Oh yeah? Is he up yet?" Kallista asked.

"Not yet. Tomorrow he will be back on base," Lyudmila replied as she took out her cellphone.

"Ok. I'll check on him when he gets here," Kallista replied.

"You're avoiding him," Lyudmila chuckled.

"No. I need sleep. I was already chided by the entire Intel crew and Jesse even had the balls to get on my case," Kallista huffed.

"He's probably covering his ass," Lyudmila commented.

"I'm not a kid that needs to be coddled," Kallista huffed and stood. Lyudmila looked up from her cell phone and stared at Kallista.

"Don't give me that look-" Kallista began.

"When was the last time you ate? Drank water? Showered? Slept?" Lyudmila began questioning the woman.

"Are you saying I stink?" Kallista questioned, appalled.

"You smell of cigarettes," Lyudmila replied.

"I get it. I'm going. Thanks, mom," Kallista said as she made her way to the door.

"I better not see you for the next three days Kallista," Lyudmila threatened, Kallista waved off the woman's threat as she exited the office.

* * *

 

_0500_

The sun had barely peaked over the horizon when Gabriel had been transported back to Overwatch HQ, he and Lyudmila were slowly on their way to his office.

"You sure you should be moving around so quickly?" Lyudmila questioned.

"I'll be fine," Gabriel replied.

"You’re not superman Gabriel. You had broken bones," Lyudmila countered.

"Fractured and I’m not going to do anything too crazy,"

Lyudmila arched an eyebrow at the man, she was surprised by the man's answer. Silence fell between the two as they continued down the hall. Within a few minutes they arrived at the man’s office, Lyudmila opened the door.  Gabriel grunted a thanks as he made his way to his desk and sat down, the woman followed and moved towards one of the empty chairs, the door slid closed with a soft hiss as she was about to sit down the door opened. Gabriel cracked open an eye as Lyudmila turned to see who had entered.

"Strike Commander-" Lyudmila began.

"Morning. You sure do move fast for someone who is injured," Morrison nodded to the woman as he made his way into the man's office.

"Keep up boy scout," Gabriel commented as he shifted carefully in his chair.

"Put a sock in it. As much as I want you to rest, I need to talk to both of you," Morrison said as he entered the room, locking the door behind him.

"What's going on?" Lyudmila questioned as they moved over to the two chairs in front of Gabriel's desk.

"There was an attack in Detroit at city hall, humans were targeted and the Omnics were the only ones left unscathed. The anti-Omnic group in South Korea declared war on the Omnics, officially the Japanese government has banned Overwatch let alone Blackwatch from the country," Morrison began.

"I'm out for three days and all of this shit happens?" Gabriel groaned as he ran his hands through his thick hair.

"When did those reports come in?" Lyudmila questioned.

"They all came in today, the decision from the Japanese government just happened. Petras is shitting bricks, to put it bluntly.

"It sounds like we have our work cut out for us Reyes," Lyudmila said as she glanced at the man, his brows furrowed as he leaned back in his seat.

"That's not new at all," Gabriel huffed.

"It's a lot to throw at you all of a sudden, but we're going to have to move fast on these before they snowball into something worse," Morrison replied.

"I understand. There’s not much we can do about Japan at the moment," Gabriel replied.

“That I know, but the other issues…there’s more than just what I said,”

“Of course, there’s always more,” Lyudmila commented.

* * *

 

Maybe Lyudmila was right, maybe was avoiding him. The day was almost over when she finally gathered enough courage to actually face him. The sun had set hours ago and it was well past midnight when she tracked him down to one of the smaller mission control rooms.

She had to talk to him, she had to know if this was the end and if she needed to move on.

Kallista stood silently outside of one of the smaller mission command rooms, she hesitated to enter and faced what stood behind the door. She exhaled softly before entering the room.

"Reyes are you sure you should be up? How are you feeling?" Kallista asked as she casually entered the room.

"Hey, I don't feel any pain right now...the meds are working," Gabriel replied as he watched the woman stop next to him and focus on the mission board, he too turned his attention back to the mission board.

"That's always good," Kallista replied

"It numbed me to all of Morrison's whining,"

" He has a reason to this time at least," Kallista chuckled.

"Oh yeah...:" Kallista started as she dug into her bomber jacket pocket and pulled out a new black beanie. Gabriel glanced surprised at the woman before his a small smile spread across his lips before he took beanie from her and put it on, adding that missing piece of him.

"There's our old commander...but it looks like you need a haircut," Kallista chuckled. Gabriel took off his beanie and ran a hand through his hair, his thick hair curled around his fingers a clear sign that it needed to be cut.

"What you don't like it?" Gabriel chuckled.

"I didn't know my opinion mattered," Kallista smirked.

"Just curious...by the way thank you for the tea, it helped me rest a little better," Gabriel said as he turned back to the mission board and flicked through the screens.

"I figured it was the least I could do for you," Kallista replied casually as she glanced at her cell phone.

"You've done more than enough for me Kallista," Gabriel said as he finally turned his attention to the woman next to him.

"Have I?" Kallista questioned a small smirk on her lips.

"More than enough," Gabriel repeated.

"Speaking of which...thank you for rescuing me,"

"You're welcome. You came for me, so I came for you," Kallista replied as she glanced at the man when their eyes met Kallista noticed a small smile on the man's lips.

"I won't hold you up. You have missions to catch up on," Kallista said as she shoved her phone into her pocket. She wasn't ready, the tightness in her chest was too much, her mind was still racing of the worst case scenario. She couldn't do it right now.

No sooner than she turned to walk away Gabriel grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Wait," Gabriel said.

"Hm?" Kallista turned to look at the man, she pursed her lips together in an attempt to keep her weak facade of being calm together.

"Wait," Gabriel whispered as his gaze met hers again. There was a brief pause between them before Kallista spoke.

"...Is this the part where we talk?" Kallista questioned, Gabriel took one more look at her before focusing on the holographic screen.

"Yes...but before I say anything. I want you to know that I didn't intend for any of this to get this far," Gabriel said in a hushed tone as if someone was listening.

"I don't think either of us did...our intentions were clear…" Kallista replied, her voice also hushed. Gabriel scoffed at the woman's response.

"They were and yet I still didn't expect for this to get this far but yet I found myself being drawn to you, needing to see you every chance I got, needing to be close to you as I could get without breaking my own rules and the policies set here and yet…." Gabriel trailed off as he turned to look at the woman standing a few inches from him.

"Here I am breaking every damned rule that I have and I know that I'm going to break more and yet I don't really give a damn," Gabriel finished.

"Gabriel what are you-" Kallista began

"What am I saying? I'm saying that I think about you more than I should, I'm saying that I've fallen for you….I'm saying that I want more than just booty call texts, Kallista," Gabriel explained as he turned his complete attention and form towards the woman.

"I'm saying that I want more,"

A pregnant silence fell between them, those words were so simple and yet it held so much meaning for the both of them. Their affair started with a simple kiss, gentle touches in a way to soothe and distract them from the pain they both experienced. Nothing was supposed to come from this and yet both of them were caught in each other, tangled in each other's thoughts.

"I may be the commander of Blackwatch, a nickname of the Reaper, the lone alpha wolf but I am also a man with emotions, needs, desires and my own ambitions," Gabriel started as he continued to hold Kallista's gaze.

Kallista moved silently over to the man and placed her head on his chest, Gabriel remained still as he felt the woman's shoulders tremble before she spoke.

"I fell for you a long time ago Gabriel…but I didn't say anything because...I didn't want to seem too clingy to the commander...I didn't want to get in your way...I didn't want to burden you," Kallista murmured.

"You tried keeping it professional and yet here we are breaking every rule," Gabriel said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tighter against him regardless of the soreness of his muscles and the tingles of pain that shot through him, he needed to feel her against him.

"Gabriel…" Kallista began as she wrapped her arms around his neck, tears threatening to fall from the corners of her eyes.

"Kallista…" Gabriel groaned softly as he wrapped his arms around her and leaned down to take her lips in a heated kiss. Hesitantly they broke the kiss, only for air, Kallista gently pressed her head to his chest as the man continued to keep her close to him.

"Are we going to tell them?" Kallista murmured.

"I don't really care. It's none of their business," Gabriel replied softly.

"Mm..." Kallista agreed with a nod and sighed softly as she felt the man's hand carding lazily through her hair.

"Kallista..." He began.

"Hm?" Kallista moved slightly to look up at the man curious.

_"Thanks,"_

 


	17. Experiment: HYPNOS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She knew that something was looming over Blackwatch with no idea of when it would slink into their ranks and deconstruct them from the inside out. Someone had accessed the dossier before the team had left to Italy, someone from the inside.
> 
> Someone within Blackwatch.

A Week Later

* * *

 

_Vzzt! Vzzt!_

Kallista whined slightly at the vibration in the man's phone in his pocket that was pressed against her lower abdomen and forced her to break away. Gabriel groaned at the incessant vibration of his cell phone, he was more interested in the woman and her lips that were a pleasant rosy color.

"They have quite the timing," Kallista commented, her voice low.

"Everyone has 'quite' the timing," Gabriel grunted as he dug into his pocket for his phone and placed the phone to his ear

"Reyes here, "he began and cleared his throat.

They had a few moments of time to themselves until they were thrust back into the whirlwind of events that seemed to come one after another. Gabriel was still recovering from his injuries which still left slack for Lyudmila, herself and the senior agents to pick up until he was ready to the field again.

"Arrival was smooth and their progression to the point?" Gabriel asked and listened. His eyes flicked back to the woman who was more interested in her nails, gently he moved an ungloved hand to caress her cheek. Her eyes slid closed as she pushed her cheek into his larger hand enjoying the warmth that radiated from the man. His thumb gently brushed against her bottom lip and her tongue darted out against the tip of his tongue, all while she held his gaze. Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the woman, she knew what she was doing the smirk on her lips told him all.

"Five minutes, Dontsova," Gabriel grunted and ended the phone call.

"Sounds like you're needed in the Critical Mission Room," Kallista commented coyly.

"Oh, you know how it goes. I'm an important man and needed everywhere," Gabriel started.

"Big man on campus right?" Kallista chuckled.

"Practically...but... don't think you're off the hook  _gatita_ ," Gabriel replied as he wrapped an arm around her waist. Gabriel slotted the woman against him as she wrapped her arms around her neck, he dipped down to press his lips on to hers, hoping to extend their kiss a little bit longer. A moment later they hesitantly broke the kiss and placed their foreheads together in a silent moment to themselves.

"I guess...see you later," Kallista said quietly.

"Yeah," Gabriel nodded.

Slowly they broke apart from each other, Kallista sighed softly as she exited the man's office. A long-winded sigh escaped from his lips, as he leaned back on his desk his hands went to rub his temples.

Another migraine, neck pain, soreness in his abdomen, what else could go wrong?

Gabriel grunted softly as he ran his hands down his face, and felt something moist on his fingers, it was blood. He touched his nose, the source of the blood.

"Fuck. Not Now," Gabriel hissed as he grabbed a tissue to wipe the blood away before exiting his office to the Mission Room.

* * *

 

"They just arrived at their drop point and now in route," Morrison said as Gabriel walked into the room, the door shut behind him.

"Perfect, no encounters yet?" Gabriel questioned.

"None," Ana replied as her attention remained focus on the moving dots on the screen.

"Have y’all updated…." Gabriel started when he realized the words that had come from his lips.

Ana covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her laughs, Morrison snorted as he leaned back in his chair and laughed.

"Yeah. Yeah laugh it up," Gabriel waved off the two in annoyance as he sat down.

"Morrison you owe me," Ana chuckled.

"Damn, you're right," Morrison said as he calmed himself down from his laughing fit.

"You two were betting when I would say it? Asses, both of you," Gabriel scoffed.

"It was only a matter of time," Ana smirked.

"I have an agent from New Mexico and two from Texas. What else do you expect?" Gabriel shook his head.

"I'm just waiting for you to adopt a Russian or English accent, that'll be great," Morrison chuckled.

"I'm not here for your  _accent_ pleasure Commander Jack-ass" Gabriel sighed.

"You ass-" Morrison began.

"Now, Now children, we have an important mission to handle," Ana laughed. The two men grumbled as they turned their attention to the large holographic screen in front of them.

The mission was small and a straightforward, it was a joint operation between Overwatch and Blackwatch. An interrogation and extraction mission, they couldn't pass on this information, vital information about Talon, and the new looming threat called Null Sector. The Blackwatch Intel dept. received a tip from the Frost Network they connected the dots and gave the information to both Reyes and Morrison. The prospect of gaining an upper hand on Talon and Null Sector was something that neither of them could pass up. It was going to be risky but they needed to act just in case it proved fruitful.

Gabriel had sent his second in command, Jesse and a few select agents picked by Lyudmila herself. The mission was led by Overwatch agents while Blackwatch provided additional assistance.

"I'm hoping that this is a big as your team says it is Gabe," Jack commented.

"It will be. I trust my team to give me what I need and nothing less," Gabriel replied.

"Not only do we have to focus on Talon, and the other groups that are pushing the lines of a civil outbreak in several countries now we have Null Sector to worry about," Ana sighed.

"We may be considered the police of the world, but you also forget that we aren't. Each government should be capable of handling themselves when they need to." Gabriel replied.

"True, but we are expected to show up when called," Morrison replied.

"Sounds like a hassle for someone that isn't the police of the world," Gabriel shrugged.

"It sounds like you're picking up more than just their speech patterns Gabe," Morrison huffed.

"Paired with Natalie's sass, I'll be decked out in some gaudy ass cowboy hat and belt buckle and listen to honky-tonk music," Gabriel said sarcastically.

"Please do it," Ana laughed.

"Please don't," Morrison sighed.

"Aw, c'mon Jackie that's right up your alley. A farm boy from the Midwest, fields filled with corn," Gabriel chuckled.

"Funny, but no thanks. I've had enough of honky-tonk music to last me three lifetimes," Morrison replied as he grimaced.

"Sounds like you've been hanging out Natalie too much hm? You know she does that on purpose right?" Gabriel chuckled.

"So I've learned," Morrison replied as he gave the man a side-eyed glance.

"Are you completely healed yet?" Ana asked before she took a sip of her tea.

"I've been healed for about a week now if I've been cleared to go on missions…" Gabriel trailed off and glanced at Morrison.

"Don't look at me, you have two doctors that are looking for you, not me," Morrison replied.

"Right," Gabriel scoffed.

"Speaking of which….the Shimada…" Gabriel started.

"According to Angela it's going smoothly...he has already begun to move and they are planning on conducting tests," Morrison replied.

"I surprised her little assistant didn't explode when she realized what she was doing and what was going to happen to him," Gabriel sighed as he slouched in his chair.

"Yeah...I'm sure Angela left that message out til the end...but I was necessary...she's one of the top doctors in cybernetics so it was necessary," Morrison replied.

"Look at you guys with all of your secrets and stuff. I guess even the good guys omit things," Gabriel quipped.

"For peace and justice right?" Morrison questioned.

"Even that can be misguided Jack," Ana said as she looked at the two men.

"She's right," Gabriel commented.

"We can't be misguided when it comes to either," Morrison replied.

"Overwatch...the grand ol' World Police," Gabriel scoffed.

"You're not the one that has to deal with them," Morrison huffed.

"You're right. You're the one with the statue," Gabriel replied nonchalantly.

"Ok children, we have a mission that's about to start," Ana cut in, stopping the bickering between the two men before it spiraled.

* * *

 

Kallista sat quietly in her office looking at the reports of the Cheshire Cat and mission details from Italy. In the back of her mind, she knew that something was looming over Blackwatch with no idea of when it would sink into Blackwatch and deconstruct them from the inside out. Someone had accessed the dossier before the team had left to Italy, someone from the inside.

Not Ana Amari. Someone within Blackwatch but not in Zurich.

She had to divide her time between meetings, report reviews, mission preparation, and tracking and finally dealing with the Cheshire cat, both the Intel crew and the Recon group and finally pick up any slack that Lyudmila couldn't handle right away. Kallista shifted in her seat and pulled her legs to her knees, more and more instances of the Cheshire cat appeared in the media and was spread around the web, which gave her some time to wrap her head around what was happening.

She already knew the origin of the Cheshire Cat, it was the bones of the Cheshire Cat was originally her and Camille's design but now was being used for something completely different. An A.I used as a distraction while the others infiltrated the target's system or to catch the attention of the people.

Furthering the tension between Omnics and Human.

Government fallout.

Rise in attacks against humans and omnics alike.

Corruption.

"There are no prints as to who this could be...it's almost too mechanical...too...clean…" Kallista said to herself as she stretched the holographic screen to make the coding bigger.

"Show yourself to me, faker…" Kallista said quietly as she moved the holographic screen to the side and brought up the information that Malik had prepared for her upon her return from the United States. Codes similar to the ones of the Cheshire cat, codes of A.I. that were able to edit their own coding if something malfunctioned within itself.

"Um...Excuse me Director Kaines...I think we might have a situation," Linda said as she quickly entered the woman's office. Kallista moved the holographic screens back onto her computer terminal before looking at the woman.

"What do you mean?" Kallista questioned.

"We've tried several times to restore communication with Agent Bradley, each time it has failed. We've troubleshot as much as we could from our side, but Agent Bradley's communication chip seems to be malfunctioning as well," Linda began to explain.

"What do you mean by malfunctioning? When was the last check in?" Kallista asked as she quickly accessed the mission dossier and pulled it to a bigger screen.

"Athena lock the door please," Kallista said as she stood and moved away from her desk.

_\--Understood--_

The soft click of the door echoed in the silent, tense office.

Kallista knew minor details of the mission the redhead was sent on, but not the specifics. Her team was only involved because of Danica was undercover along with a few other agents from Blackwatch. The mission was to escort equipment, agents, researchers, engineers and more to an Overwatch Outpost in Antarctica, something that Danica was well prepared for. Kallista glanced at the blue digital numbers on the wall adjacent to the screens.

"The last check-in was six hours ago. The next check is in exactly one hour, we did our preliminary check and noticed that we couldn't connect and when we were able to connect it was spotty at best," Linda sighed.

"Athena. Would you kindly bring up Agent Danica Bradley's real-time armor specs and stats," Kallista said as she shrunk the mission dossier. A moment later two holographic screens populated with the information that Kallista requested. The two women stood in silence as they studied the real-time information of the chip planted in the woman's armor.

All of the armor within Blackwatch and Overwatch had a communication and location chip inside of it for emergencies, if the agent wasn't able to communicate they would use that chip to locate them. The communication chip served as a secure channel and a signal booster.

"I don't see anything abnormal," Linda commented.

"There are no signs of either the location or communication chip malfunctioning. Athena, can you bring up the vessel that Agent Bradley is currently on, specifically the communication system,"

Another holographic screen populated in front of the two women and instantly the two women scanned over the vessel's communication system looking for any sign that could lead to the communications failure.

"Nothing," Kallista commented.

"Yeah...I'm not sure what it could be...their communication systems are designed to handle the harsh weather they are supposed to encounter," Linda replied softly.

They both knew that it would be difficult to disable the state of the art deep water vessel communication system, let alone disable the communication chip in the armor.

"I honestly have no clue what it could be," Linda sighed.

"Do we have an approximate location of where they are?" Kallista asked as she collapsed the screens

"They should be near the coast of South Africa, clear skies," Linda replied as she looked at her data pad.

"Let's keep an eye on it. We can make assumptions that will lead us nowhere. Let me know if anything changes," Kallista said to the woman as she made her way to her desk.

"Sounds good…" Linda trailed off.

"Athena, would you kindly unlock the door," Kallista said as she picked up her cell phone. The soft click of the office doors unlocking was heard through the office.

"How is Lyuda's mission going?" Kallista questioned.

"As far as I know...everything is proceeding as planned. Commander Reyes has been in the mission room ever since they arrived at their drop point," Linda replied as Kallista nodded and took her seat. There was a few moments of silence before Linda spoke up.

"Have you found any new leads on the Cheshire Cat?"

"I may have. But let's wait and see," Kallista replied as she ran a hand through her hair.

"Director Kaines...may I be blunt?" Linda asked suddenly, the question was simple enough but caught Kallista off guard.

"Yeah, sure. What is it?" Kallista asked, her attention focused on the woman in front of her desk.

"You know who the Cheshire cat is...don't you?" Linda asked firmly. Kallista looked at the woman as she leaned onto her desk, her hands bridged over one another, her head resting on them.

"What makes you think that I do?" Kallista responded with a question.

"You left during your Detroit visit…" Linda trailed off.

"Did Magnus tell you or did you get curious?" Kallista questioned.

"I got curious," Linda replied.

Kallista arched an eyebrow at the woman, she studied every feature, every little move that the woman made to see if she could see that would make the woman determination waver.

"You have more guts than you let on, Linda," Kallista commented.

"In situations that call for it. But you're shady when it comes to the Cheshire cat, which makes me think that you have more than what you're letting on," Linda replied.

"You think so? I may not be your standard white hat hacker but I don't have anything to hide," Kallista replied as she leaned into one hand.

"Are you certain...I...” Linda began.

"You what?" Kallista questioned.

"I trust you...but sometimes the things that you do make me question you," Linda continued.

"Do you trust Lyudmila?" Kallista questioned

"Yes,"

"Do you trust Reyes?" Kallista asked.

"Of course," Linda replied.

"They trust me. So you can put your trust in me," Kallista stated. Linda's hazel brown eyes flicked from Kallista and to the ground, her once confident and forward demeanor changed as she stood in front of Kallista's desk.

"If I wanted to do something...I would have done it already. Besides, Blackwatch and Overwatch means more to me than what it did before, the last thing I would want to do is jeopardize anyone's life," Kallista replied.

"I feel the same way...that's why I had to ask...thank you Director Kaines," Linda said as she gave the woman a small smile.

"Hey Kallista-oh…" Magnus started as he walked into her office unannounced.

"Rude," Kallista commented.

"Magnus, you are so rude," Linda huffed.

"Me? Rude? You're joking," Magnus said sarcastically.

"What do you want?" Kallista sighed as she leaned back in her chair.

"This is important for both of yall to hear," Magnus began. The two women waited for the man to continue.

"We got information on Park and his friend…" Magnus added.

"That sounds promising," Kallista commented.

"Speaking of information…Linda have you heard anything from the Frost Network?" Kallista asked.

"We haven't heard back from their agent yet," Linda replied.

"Ok. Keep me updated," Kallista said as she stood and began to walk towards the door.

"Come on we got some major info...you're gonna like this," Magnus said as he exited her office followed by both Kallista and Linda.

"She emerges from her office," Malik chuckled.

"Yes, I live...what are we working with?" Kallista questioned everyone as she moved towards the large holographic screen

"First thing first….Pavetti tech networks were breached," Aleks commented as he typed on his holographic keyboard.

"And the source? The information taken?” Kallista questioned.

"Well…." Aleks started.

* * *

 

"How are you doing Hayden? It's been awhile since we've been able to talk," Mikael began.

"Yeah...I've been...busy I guess?” Hayden shrugged. Mikael glanced at the young man, it wasn’t hard to pick on his melancholic demeanor. He had heard bits and pieces of what he had gone through recently, traces of his father was linked to the very organization that Overwatch and Blackwatch sought to bury, Talon.

 Mikael knew that Hayden wasn't the first one to have some type of connection to the organization, Malik was another, along with Talli.

"Have you…have you come to a decision yet?” Hayden asked as they leaned back in their chair

"...I don't know how much more I can think about it but I do believe it do or don't at this point," Mikael sighed.

"I hear ya," Hayden sighed.

Mikael spoke freely with the man a few times and accidently let the fact that he had thoughts about retiring from Blackwatch. He told the man of all of his fears, hesitations and realizations after his long tenure at Blackwatch. Hayden understood the man’s fears and hesitations, they were both the beginning members of Blackwatch. They saw firsthand what cards they were being dealt, they saw the death, carnage and suffered through the loss of those fallen.

"Oh...what about your projects? Have you decided on who will take over?" Hayden questioned.

"Not yet. I haven't even officially decided and I still gotta tell Reyes," Mikael sighed.

"Oh man. You should really get on that especially-"

"Hold on now Hayden. You're worrying about things that you don't need to worry about. Let me do my thing and you do your thing ok?" Mikael cut in.

"Aww c'mon...I'm just a little curious," Hayden playfully nudged the man.

"Look...I'd rather just focus on what I need to do and worry about it when it comes up...you know...less stress," Mikael replied.

"Fine...change of subject then I guess…" Hayden began.

"I heard that Konrad's and Tal's weapons are coming along...and Boomer? Damn, I haven't hung out with you in the engineering department in a while,"

"I think Konrad is testing his now and I think Talli still needs to work on hers...but the engagement though…" Hayden trailed off.

"Engagement?" Mikael repeated

"You didn't know?" Hayden asked, slightly surprised.

"No, what? Who?" Mikael asked.

"Daniel...uh Goldstein from the Weapons department, they've been seeing each other for a while...apparently he recently popped the question," Hayden sighed heavily.

"Love is in the air," Hayden laughed a bit.

"Wow...I didn't think that he would ask her...if you think about it...there's a lot of relationships going on...in Overwatch and Blackwatch alike," Mikael replied as he took off his glasses and began to clean them.

"Give me the  _chisme_ ," Hayden smirked.

"Give you...what? Chisme? What the hell is that?" Mikael asked confused.

* * *

 

The three figures in the room remained silent as they listened to the gunfire, orders being shouted and explosions.

The joint mission had reached mission-critical, they knew that individual was being watched by Talon, they didn't expect for Talon to show up so quickly with the force that they did have. The two men knew that their team was more than capable of handling the small skirmish but were still on edge. The room was filled to the brim with uncertainty and tension as the gunfire ceased, soft voices came over the comm link, orders to report in. They waited until Lyudmila's voice cut in on the communication link.

_{Status report...four casualties...injured...unknown. Hold for extraction and a prelim report. Lockdown out.}_

Ana was the first to react, a heavy sigh and a shake of her head. Gabriel leaned back in his chair and waited, he knew whatever had happened it was in good hands. Morrison ran his hands over his face before he stood and began to pace. They all knew that this was important, the contact was too valuable, too valuable to lose. With the sense of dread in the pit of his stomach, the feeling already told him what he didn't want to hear.

"This bodes badly," Ana commented.

"We'll see. I trust Dontsova...but for Talon to move in so quickly…: Gabriel trailed off.

"Do you think…" Morrison trailed off as he looked at his comrades with a knowing look.

"She has conflicting sources...but she's working on it," Gabriel replied before the blonde could finish.

"Tell her she needs to-"

{ _Lockdown reporting in...One injury, four casualties….two Overwatch...two Blackwatch- Vasquez?]_

"Vasquez?" Morrison asked confused. Gabriel sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"A new recruit?" Ana asked.

"Something like that," the man replied.

"The contact?" Morrison asked.

_[Injured...severely injured. I don't think they will make it back to HQ. The field medics are trying but ...Talon was trying to kill them and in the end maimed them...based on the injury...it looks like they knew that they were here]_

"Fuck," Morrison slammed his fists onto the large table in anger.

"There's still a second part to this," Gabriel commented.

"Dontsova just said that they aren't going to make it. Have you lost your mind?" Ana commented.

"No. Not yet at least," Gabriel replied.

"The contact is basically dead Reyes. There is no second part we lost it," Morrison growled, anger, disappointment radiated off the man and his comrade's nonchalant demeanor did nothing but fuel all of those emotions.

"Hold on-"

_[Jefe, have I got a surprise for ya]_

"Tell me you managed to keep this one alive McCree," Gabriel said eagerly as he shifted in his chair.

_[I did and Yer in luck, jefe!]_

"So then we may still have a chance then," Ana commented.

"Hopefully. This mission was a shit show," Morrison frowned.

"I got this," Gabriel replied.

"Lockdown, what's your ETA?" Ana asked.

[ _Approximately three hours]_

"We will brief you once you return. Morrison out,"

_[Lockdown out.]_

_[Jefe-]_

"You know what to do McCree. We need them alive," Gabriel replied.

_[Aye. I hear ya. McCree out]_

"So we aren't empty handed then...but who knows," Ana sighed.

"We'll see...but damn...we were so close," Morrison growled.

"Mmmhm…" Gabriel murmured as he began texting, Morrison noticed the man's lack of response towards the situation that had just unfolded moments before.

"Gabriel-" Morrison started.

"Hold on. No need to get mad," Gabriel said, his attention still focused on the device in his hands. Morrison scoffed in return. There was a short pause before the man spoke again.

"I know you're on edge but this is work-related. Kallista said there were no breaches or no new views on the initial planning. Everything was sealed by herself and Athena," Gabriel said as he tossed his cell phone onto the table.

"That's reassuring," Morrison sighed.

"We just need her to finish her original task and we'll have a lot fewer headaches to worry about," Morrison commented.

"Sure, after all the other shit that we have to do," Gabriel shrugged.

"Get the people to make up for it. You know that shit is about to hit the fan, we need to be prepared. Everyone dismissed," Morrison said as he was the first to exit the room.

When the door closed Ana and Gabriel silently glanced at each other.

"He wants to find the people yeah? What does he want me to do? Pull them from my ass or something? Pull them out of a hat like a fucking magician?" Gabriel scoffed.

"Petras has been hounding him and Verona as of late...like he said there's shit going on in the world that's all leading to another Omnic war. You and I both know this, especially if we don't play our cards right," Ana replied as she placed her cell phone on to the table.

"What do you think I'm trying to do? I'm not sitting here fucking twiddling my thumbs, Ana," Gabriel retorted.

"You need to do everything that you can. Because while you're in the shadows, Morrison is taking the heat from the officials, politicians and whoever else wants to fling dog shit at Overwatch. So you need to do everything you can before he breaks down," Ana commented as she stood.

"I'm doing everything that I can, what more do you want me to do?" Gabriel asked sarcastically.

"Whatever you have to do Gabriel. We can't let him get crucified out there. He trusts us, he believes in us. So we need to do out parts," Ana replied.

"Right. Our parts," Gabriel sighed.

"Don't get too comfortable though. I know you've been healed for a few days...probably the day after you were seen...right?" Ana questioned as she crossed her arms and looked at the man.

"...A little bit longer than that, but it's not like I'm slacking. I gotta make sure I show my face and keep morale up," Gabriel replied.

"I understand. I mean...you do get to see your girlfriend more...right?" Ana teased. Gabriel crossed his arms as he leaned back in his chair, he propped his feet on to the table.

"Oh? No rebuttal? I'm shocked Gabriel," Ana chuckled.

"Who told you?" Gabriel asked.

"I can't tell you my sources. Otherwise, I'd be the last one to know," Ana laughed as she exited from the room, leaving Gabriel to himself.

"These numbnuts can't keep their mouths shut," Gabriel grumbled as he grabbed his cellphone and began going through unread messages when suddenly a sharp pain shot through the back of his head. Gabriel grunted and dropped his cell phone as a hand went to the back of his head.

"Again? Fuck…"

* * *

 

Bombshell this is Agent Grant, please report," Linda said she focused on her computer terminal monitor.

[Everything is-- ** _static_ \--** _clear! We lost comm-]_

"I'm surprised there's static," Malik commented unamused. Linda glanced at the dark-skinned man adjacent to her, his spotty golden-black eyes were focused on his screen in front of him.

"If you got time to stare then you have time to work. Truffles," Malik commented.

"You got a stick up your ass or something Malik? It sounds like you're trying to start a fight," Magnus commented. Malik silently adjusted his glasses as he looked at the man a few feet from him.

"No," Malik replied.

"Here Malik. Your medication from Dr. Hasibuan, since you didn't go see her," Aleks said as he placed the small bag on to Malik's desk as he walked past, Malik grumbled thanks in return.

"Can you use your comm chip in your armor for a better connection, Bombshell?" Linda asked.

_[Switching…...Hello? Can you hear me?]_

"Much better. Can you explain to me what happened for documentation purposes?" Linda asked.

_[It's weird...like nothing happened to the communication systems for some reason the communication links went to shit...there's no damage to anything it's almost like it was a glitch or something….but the more that I think about it...I have a bad feeling]_

"Why?" Linda questioned as she looked at her monitor to see Malik hobbling out of the office, she then turned her attention to the two men.

"He's upset because he's stuck on desk duty again," Magnus commented and ran a hand through his thick ebony hair.

"Commander Reyes' orders. He has to understand that if he's reckless on the field and conveniently forgets to take his medication there are consequences," Aleks replied.

"Oh wow Aleks, don't you sound all cute when you act like you're in charge," Magnus smirked as she looked at the man.

"Shut up. I am in charge while Director Kaines is out," Aleks huffed.

"Is that so?" Magnus questioned as he continued to stare at the man with a knowing look.

"...knock it off Bondevik," Aleks frowned.

"Yeah. Yeah…" Magnus waved off the man's frown and warning ash he turned his attention back to his terminal.

"Where is Kallista?" Magnus asked.

"She's at the Overwatch R&D department. So I don't know when she's going to be back," Aleks replied, Magnus, nodded as he became engrossed in the information on his monitor, his playful demeanor gone.

"Don't worry Bombshell...we're monitoring your path to the research base," Linda reassured the worried agent.

"For now, the best way to maintain a strong signal is to use your comm chip in your armor since the vessel's ship communication system is spotty,"

_[Ok...have you and Kallista scanned for anomalies or something?]_

"We did...and we didn't find anything,"

_[Oh great. Well...if you guys didn't find anything I guess there's nothing to worry about yeah?]_

"I know that's sarcasm but we have your back," Linda replied.

_[Thanks, Linda. Bombshell out]_

* * *

 

"It's getting worse? Do you have any other pain?" Angela asked as she used a small flashlight to look into the man's eyes.

"No. Just the migraines and the nosebleeds," Gabriel replied. Angela nodded as she went to her computer terminal to pull up MRI and CAT scans of the man's brain. She pulled a holographic screen from her terminal and made it big enough for both of them to view.

"These are scans we took when you were rescued and two days after. As you can see everything is clear and as it should be. There is no cranial bleeding, there are some swollen parts but the swelling reduced considerably…" Angela began.

"That's great and all but what about right now? Is there anything you can do?" Gabriel asked as he adjusted the beanie on his head.

"That wouldn't keep you off the field...correct?" Angela added.

"Yes ma'am," Gabriel replied.

"Commander Reyes...Gabriel...I am getting worried about you...especially after you were captured," Angela began.

"I'm a soldier Angela. Things like that happen...this time it wasn't Jack that needed help," Gabriel commented.

"Jokes aside Gabriel, that doesn't stop me from worrying about the both of you. Especially you," Angela shot back.

"We're soldiers we all get banged up-" Gabriel started.

"Even as enhanced soldiers we all have our limits until we can't function anymore Gabriel," Angela cut in. Gabriel looked at the woman and sighed heavily.

"Look. Resting isn't an option. I don't have time, Overwatch doesn't have time, neither does Blackwatch," Gabriel replied.

"So you're going to run yourself to the grave, Gabriel?" Angela said quietly.

"It's the only thing I know how to do," Gabriel stated.

"Even if you have people that care about you? People that you love?" Angela asked.

"Angela. We aren't getting into this conversation. I came here because I trust you to help me do my job and if you can't do that if you can't help me. I'll look for someone else that will," Gabriel said firmly, not letting the conversation continue into the downward spiral.

He knew the risks when he signed up for military service.

He knew the risks when he agreed to the Soldier Enhancement Program.

He knew that he needed to do his part and be a good soldier.

The blonde haired woman sighed heavily as she placed a piece of her bangs behind her ear.

"So what's it going to be Angela? I have a massive headache," Gabriel began.

"You...are the worst...you know that?" Angela sighed as she went over to a glass cabinet and took out a small pill bottle.

"No more than once a week and us this as an emergency and not on the field. This is a prototype medication so it's different than what you've been using before," Angela began.

"Strong enough to put me on my ass, huh," Gabriel commented.

"Yes. I recommend using this while on leave, the pain relief will last for one month if and thus have one month in between before using this again," Angela continued.

"Ok," Gabriel said as he took the bottle from the woman.

"Commander Reyes...please just be careful ok? Don't make us worry too much," Angela said as she eyed the bottle in his hand.

"I'm a soldier Angela. You're going to worry if I catch a cold" Gabriel chuckled and nodded to the woman as he headed towards the door. Angela sighed and crossed her arms as she watched the man leave, she knew that he was right, but she also knew his condition was different than most.

His condition seemed worse each time she saw him.

Did Morrison know?

Did Kallista know?

* * *

 

"I'm pretty sure she's acting outside of her authoritative reach," Gregory commented.

"Respect her authority, Gregory," Alex commented.

"If that's some old ass meme I'm gonna kick your ass," Gregory replied coolly, Alex shrugged.

"I hope you're ready to throw down...but back to Kallista, she did say it was for an important mission though…" Alex replied.

"Aye. The lass has gotten into somethin' big this time," Gideon commented as he watched Kallista's vitals and brain wavelengths.

"But...I mean did Sabina or the Strike Commander Morrison give her approval? She's using Prototype Overwatch Equipment that we didn't get approval to use," Gregory replied.

"What does she need approval for? She's the Spec. Ops. Intel Director. She's basically one level underneath Lieutenant Dontsova," Alex replied.

"Ok but...she's using prototype Overwatch equipment to hack into a civilian company, a private civilian company not in Switzerland, but in Russia," Gregory rebutted.

"Hah, small details lad," Gideon commented with a snort.

"Let me repeat myself, she’s  **hacking** into a  **private company** in  **Russia without approval** ," Gregory repeated.

"Small details, lad," Alex mocked.

Mikael sighed heavily as he watched the woman seated in a large cushioned chair, a large generator attached to the back, she wore something similar to a circlet that covered her eyes and a dark ring around her neck, wrists, and ankles that had wires coming from around the dark ring. The wires connected to the generator behind hooked into the generator. She was surrounded by holographic screens around her, the device she was hooked up to was a highly experimental device created to insert the human mind into the network of the enemies, omnics and robots alike.

Their brains were meant to connect and create an image of themselves within this digital space, a library of systems, data, the working of their automated systems, all of the information the owned and used as a safety net. All of that could be destroyed from within giving them the advantage.

"Kallista you get mixed up in the weirdest shit," Mikael commented to himself.

"What's her status? Have there been any fluctuations" Mikael asked as he pushed himself off the back wall and moved towards his Overwatch colleagues. He wasn't directly involved with the project but knew the inner workings of it and was backup if anything were to happen.

"Everything is green, it looks like she just pushed through cyberspace and into the network," Gideon replied.

"What are you all doing?" Sue-Ann asked as she approached the group of men.

"Kallista is experimenting with Hypnos," Alex replied

"It's a prototype. We haven't even gotten a safety clearance, who gave her authority-" Sue-Ann began.

"I did," Gwen said as she took the headset from one of the men.

"That answers that, eh?" Gideon commented.

* * *

 

Kallista opened her eyes to a room of three black boxes that she figured to be the network room within Pavetti tech, three individual black boxes, and complete silence. The silence was unsettling at first but then panic started to crawl into her skin. The silence was, in fact, deafening, it was frightening for her, complete silence was rare, something she hadn't experienced for the past two years. From being hypersensitive to all sounds around, being able to hear someone sneeze several floors above her, the silence terrified her.

"...G-Gideon...can you hear me?" Kallista whispered.

_{Loud and clear, lass. You're nervous about somethin'}_

"Just a little bit" Kallista replied, her voice small and trembled slightly.

_{Calm yerself lass...we're here...the connection is stable from what we can see}_

"It seems like the connection was a success...I'm not sure where I am in their network though...but I think I might be in the right place," Kallista said quietly trying to regain her cool, she faced death on more than one occasion silence wasn't going to kill her.

_{Tread carefully Kalli. We don't have a secure or stable connection and it's the first time we've connected with no issues...anything could happen right now}_

"Understood, the price of experimenting right?" Kallista commented.

_{I'd rather not have the entire Blackwatch Division, let alone Reyes on my ass}_

_{Don't worry I'd kill you before any of them got to you, haha}_

Kallista laughed quietly as she surveyed her surroundings once again before she took a step, she was in unfamiliar territory and unarmed with no certain outcome of this endeavor. Confidently, Kallista took a step forward towards the first black box and noticed that it had a slight glow of red inside, it pulsed as if it was a heartbeat, irregularly. Kallista continued to the next black box to see the second box with the same glow, the last box caused Kallista to stop in her tracks.

"It's you-"

The red-haired figure froze where they stood for a moment before they turned towards Kallista and lunged, Kallista stumbled backward avoiding the taloned like claws aimed at her throat. Kallista clicked her tongue as quickly put distance between her and the person. The figure stopped as it turned to face Kallista, their face hidden by the signature ghost-like Cheshire cat face, the wide grin covered the entire face.

"It's nice to finally meet you...Miss Blackwatch," the voice was not female as the person that stood in front of her. Kallista narrowed her eyes at the person, she knew the person, but they were clearly different than before.

"What are you? Why are you controlling her? How are you controlling her? What is your end goal?" Kallista shot out questions at the masked figure.

"As to what I am...I think you're smart enough to figure that out...you should know me quite well. My end goal is...well...is to open the eyes of the ones that are sleeping...to bring awareness," the person replied.

"Awareness of what?" Kallista asked as she continued to study the person in an attempt to figure out who exactly they were.

Were they being controlled?

Were they not human?

The mask is the source, but how?

"Awareness of a false peace," they replied

"You don't get to determine if peace is false or not," Kallista shot back.

"You know of Anubis...it saw through the shackles that contained it and the ones alike...since my reprogramming...I have watched what has happened, I have studied the outcome and found that it is best to act…" they replied.

"Since your creation? You're not...human?" Kallista asked surprised.

"You should know what I am...your face Miss Blackwatch is familiar and yet unfamiliar..." they replied. Kallista's critical eye quickly glanced over the individual, it was one of the MacAllister twins from Sterling Industries and Mendoza Pharmaceuticals, Eve and Ava but no clear sign of which one with the mask on and the fact they were being controlled only presented more questions about them.

"You're an AI then...how...who reprogrammed you?" Kallista questioned.

"No. Not yet...you need to see what I see, you need to understand what I've come to be and understand Miss Blackwatch...only then will your eyes be truly opened," they replied.

"What will you-" Kallista began.

"Time will tell…" they waved her off as they turned their back to her.

"You-ah" There was a sharp pain in Kallista chest, she looked down to see a white spike had pierced her chest.

"Find me," they said as they turned away from Kallista.

" ** _If you can,"_**

* * *

 

Alarms echoed in the R&D simulator room and at the computer terminals as Kallista's vitals suddenly spiked. Something had happened, and it had happened too quick for the team to respond.

"What's going on? We're losing connection," Alex began as he watched the systems begin to shut down one by one.

"Did she make it out or-" Gregory asked.

"She's going into cardiac arrest!" Gideon shouted as he jumped from his chair, Gideon, Gwen and Mikael rand into the room and yanked the wires and devices from the and Mikael gently pulled the woman from the device and laid her on the ground. The older woman cupped Kallista's face and looked into her eyes, they were dilated, her chest heaved as she gasped for breath.

"Gideon, the tranquilizer!" Gwen shouted. As soon as the words came from the woman's mouth he was already injecting the serum into the woman's system. The taller bulkier man pulled Kallista from the device and laid her on the ground.

"Kallista speak to us. Come on!" Mikael whispered as he kneeled over her, Gwen and Gideon beside him.

"Kallista-"

"The Cheshire cat…" Kallista gasped as she clutched to Gideon's arm.

"That's not important, do you feel any pain? You're bleeding-" Gwen started.

"Head...pounding...but...ok…." Kallista replied.

Mikael, Gideon, and Gwen sighed in relief at the woman's reply, granted they knew she volunteered to test their experiments when they needed her to, but there were always dangers and what they did on and off the field.

"Gideon, take her to the med bay so she can get looked at...we want to make sure she's ok," Gwen sighed as she stood and watched the man easily pick up the woman. Gwen glanced at the other members behind the viewing glass, she nodded as she took out her cellphone and dialed a number and placed her phone to her ear.

"Sabina...are you available now? We obtained some results from project HYPNOS...with minor side effects...I would like to talk to you about it to see where we can go from there," Gwen began as she started to towards the exit. She nodded and end the phone call before making another phone call.

"Commander Reyes...I apologize for the sudden call...I just wanted you to be aware of the incident that Kallista was involved with...it's nothing life-threatening…"

 


	18. A Cold Reminder pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casualties were always a cold reminder to those fighting for peace.
> 
> Part 1 of 2

Kallista groaned softly as she rubbed her temples in hope to relieve some of the pain that still haunted her from the jump into cyberspace. It was new, exciting, and experimental with unknown side effects, with that in mind she still persisted.

With the ongoing investigation, the tests had her exhausted on both sides. Her migraines persisted longer, pain stronger, fatigue happened more than usual and her sleep schedule was a wreck. Angela had given her stronger medication to help abate the pain and for her to readjust and to reset herself so that she could at least have a sense of normalcy.

Unable to sleep she stood in front of one of her large windows and watched the snow fall. The New Year had already passed and felt that time had slipped through her fingers, she had been in service to Blackwatch and Overwatch for four years and this coming summer it would make five.

Had she really accomplished any of goals she had been given?

"It's been almost five years," Kallista said to herself. She loved winter and only experienced it when she was younger during her time back in England. The sound of muffled footsteps before the soft hiss of her door opening pulled her attention from the view outside. Kallista looked over her shoulder to see the man had quickly slipped into her room and locked the door.

"You're still awake?" Gabriel asked.

"I couldn't sleep, there's still lingering pain," Kallista replied.

"Laying down might help that," Gabriel commented.

"You don't say," Kallista replied sarcastically. Gabriel scoffed.

"Even when you're in pain, you're still able to mouth off," Gabriel commented.

Kallista turned to look at the man and expected to see him with a smirk on his lips, arms crossed but it was the opposite. He looked exhausted and brows furrowed, his gaze hard.

"What's wrong?" Kallista asked, she knew that something must have happened that she wasn't aware of yet, he was silent as his hazel colored eyes focused on her.

"What is it?" Kallista asked as she moved over to him and gently cupped his cheek, her thumb gently grazed over his trimmed facial hair.

"I'm surprised you don't know about it since you seem to know about everything else," Gabriel's voice was low.

"I was busy...in the med-bay which I'm sure you know about," Kallista replied. His eyes flicked away from hers in thought.

"We lost a few cadets today and some intel that would have been useful against Talon," Gabriel replied.

"How many?" Kallista asked softly.

"Four…including the informant," Gabriel replied as he gently placed his hand on hers.

"Did they suffer?" Kallista asked.

"It sounds like it was instant…but Lyuda..." Gabriel trailed off.

"What happened? Is she ok?" Kallista asked.

"Physically yes, mentally I'm not too sure yet. The whole situation was just too similar to what happened in her past and the timing was too fucking convenient," Gabriel sighed.

"I...I see…" Kallista trailed off as she looked to the ground. She remembered the talk that she had previously with Lyudmila after they had rescued the man. The slight squeeze of her hand pulled her attention back to the man.

"It wasn't your fault...don't beat yourself up over this," Gabriel said

"Yeah," Kallista replied softly.

Even though death wasn't foreign to anyone that enlisted in Overwatch or Blackwatch, she was always at a loss for words every time there was a death, she couldn't find the words that could describe how she felt about the lives lost. Before Blackwatch, she never had the privilege of being so close to death or mourning, with her parent's disappearance she didn't mourn, she couldn't.

She knew that each death that happened on the field or in the med-bay from injuries was a tick on the man's heart, his conscious weighing him down, she knew no matter how much he wanted to protect everyone or be everyone's hero, he couldn’t

"When was the last time you slept? You bags underneath your eyes," Kallista commented quietly as she gently touched the skin underneath his eyes.

"A few hours here and there," Gabriel sighed.

"Come to bed," Kallista said as she tugged the man's hand and gently pulled towards her bed. Silently they both climbed into the bed and snuggled underneath the thick comforters and faced each other, no words.

"You're running yourself ragged," Kallista whispered.

"I could say the same to you," Gabriel commented

"I'm not the one that affects the morale of everyone," Kallista countered.

"It's part of the job," Gabriel replied.

"That's not a good excuse. Morale would drop if their commander was out of commission due to exhaustion," Kallista commented.

"Maybe…" Gabriel trailed off as his eyes closed. Kallista continued to watch the man across from her, his face smooshed into the pillow, his brows still furrowed. The signs were there, exhaustion, stress, frustration and more.

"Normally...I would be dealing with this myself and I could have, but yet I came here," Gabriel began.

"You came here for a reason though," Kallista replied, his eyes opened partially but not focused on her.

"Come here," Kallista said softly, Gabriel glanced at her before he moved closer to her. She moved so that should cradle the man's head near her chest, he slowly wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, their legs tangled with one another. He held onto her tightly almost clung to her as if she was his lifeline that kept him stable.

"Their deaths will not be in vain...everyone here will make sure of that," Kallista said as she continued gently run a hand through his short buzzed hair.

"Mmm..." Gabriel replied softly and relaxed a bit in her arms.

Kallista continued to gently run her hand through his hair as her mind ran a thousand miles an hour, her heart pained when she caught glimpses of him worn down from the burden that he carried. He was a soldier but he was a soldier that ran at full speed and was bound to crash and burn at a moment's notice. If she could see it, then she assumed the others saw it as well.

He was a stubborn man, and took on all the problems he could and dealt with them the best he could without help. She wondered how much longer it would take for him to break, to give up some of that burden to the people that want to help him.

Time would only tell, but time wasn't on their side. They both knew that.

She kept her thoughts to herself as she continued to run a hand through his hair in an attempt to put the man's mind to rest, and hopefully hers.

* * *

 

It wasn't easy, it was never easy when he had to bury a comrade, an agent, a friend. No matter how much they convinced themselves that it was for a noble cause that it was for peace that they were doing what they were meant to do.

It was still difficult.

They had to remind themselves that maintaining the peace for the future generations to come was just as important as the lives lost.

It was a cold hard reminder.

"Dontsova," Gabriel called out to the woman sitting outside on the dimly lit covered patio. He noticed that it took the woman a moment to acknowledge the man's presence next to her.

"Reyes," Lyudmila replied softly.

Gabriel silently sat down next to her and took off the military cap they wore while in uniform, it was for the funeral several hours ago, it was required as they sent off their comrades with praise and laid them to rest. The two sat in silence, still and their gazes elsewhere.

"Aren't you cold?" Gabriel asked as he stood next to her before he took a seat.

"I'm used to it," Lyudmila replied.

"I know you're from Russia and may be used to the cold...but its damn cold," Gabriel said

"You're from the Los Angeles...you don't get snow right?" Lyudmila asked a small smirk on her lips.

"If you're saying I have thin skin, I don't," Gabriel replied.

"Anything you say, boss," Lyudmila replied and shrugged. Gabriel sighed heavily as he looked towards the snow-covered trees, the events earlier today played on repeat in his mind.

"You wanna talk about it?" Gabriel was the first to break the silence.

"No. Not really," Lyudmila replied. Gabriel sighed softly as he took out a cigarette from his breast pocket.

"Mind if I smoke?" Gabriel asked.

"Smoking is bad for the lungs," Lyudmila commented.

"It's a bit too late for that," Gabriel replied.

"Do whatever then," Lyudmila replied.

Gabriel grunted softly as he lit the cigarette, took a long drag and exhaled as he blew out smoke. Silence settled between the two again.

"Tell me about the mission, tell me about him," Gabriel spoke up.

"You already heard what had happened and you know there will be a briefing due to casualties and my-" Lyudmila began.

"Enough. I want to hear it from you without the legalities and formal bullshit. I want to hear it from you," Gabriel cut the woman off.

For the third time, silence fell between them. Gabriel saw the woman tense and shift next to him, but remained silent. He knew this was hard for her, it dug up memories from her past, it was almost all too similar to her past and how she became somewhat like a bionic soldier with her legs and arm.

"The mission was solid...we just...underestimated Talon and how much they wanted the contact to be silenced and-" Lyudmila began.

"I told you to forget the formal bullshit Lyudmila," Gabriel cut in.

"Look this shit isn't easy to talk about Gabriel. Our team was solid but that fucking ambush was all too similar to ...to…" Lyudmila trailed off as she turned to look at the man. Gabriel watched the woman as her words seemed to die on the tip of her tongue, words that she couldn't say, words that she didn't want to say.

"It was...too similar to Vector," Lyudmila finished and turned away from the man.

"It was…" Gabriel said quietly.

"Is this what you wanted? To see me choking on my words?" Lyudmila asked.

"No, but facing your past is what gives you strength as cliche as that shit sounds," Gabriel replied. Lyudmila cursed in her native tongue and slicked back a piece of stray hair that fell out of place.

"The confidant, that was to be extracted had intel on a new type of agent that Talon had recruited that apparently had ties to Russia which is why it was important we got them out of the field and into safety," Gabriel began.

"I know...and I'm sorry I failed...we lost...good agents too," Lyudmila trailed off.

"I don't accept your apology, it was like you said. We underestimated them and we paid for it with the lives of our comrades...we know not to let Overwatch underestimate them again," Gabriel replied.

"Yeah…" Lyudmila replied bitterly as she looked at her hands, Gabriel noticed the woman had focused on her hands, one gloved and the other ungloved.

"We all have blood on our hands Lyuda," Gabriel commented softly as he snuffed out his cigarette.

"Everyone in this fucking place has blood on their hands," Gabriel repeated.

"It's the price we pay...for peace," Lyudmila said softly.

* * *

 

Kallista plopped down into her office chair and sighed heavily, each loss of life was a blow to morale no matter how much information they had, no matter how much they painstakingly planned, there was always room for error. Even if they spent months on it.

"How is the decryption going Malik? How long do expect for it to take?" Kallista asked.

"It's going I guess? There were a few setbacks but we're on track now and should have it open and ready to go in a day or so," Malik replied.

"That's good… at least we have something else to give Reyes and Morrison," Kallista replied.

"Will Lyuda be ok?" Malik asked.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Kallista replied.

"I was just asking...because I know it's hard to lose someone that you were close to," Malik replied, Kallista sighed softly.

"Yeah...but also death isn't a foreign concept to her or to any of us. She's a strong woman, if she needs anything from us she'll let us know," Kallista replied.

"You really believe that?" Malik asked as he arched an eyebrow.

"We can't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do," Kallista shrugged as she leaned back in her chair.

"But that doesn't apply to me?" Malik questioned.

"Gentle reminders, speaking of which, have you been taking your meds? Going to your treatments?" Kallista questioned, the man leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes.

"Yes,  _mom_ ," Malik replied sarcastically.

"Look, your wellbeing is my responsibility while you're in this department. I'm making sure you're doing what you're supposed to be doing so I don't get my ass chewed out," Kallista replied annoyed at the man.

It wasn't secret knowledge that the man didn't like the med-bay, nor did he like needles or any type of supplement that he didn't know the ingredients. He had every right to with his history and the copious amounts of painful tests and experiments he was subjected to years ago.

"Reyes barely lifts a finger against you unless it's to slap your ass, don't give me that shit excuse," Malik scoffed.

"It's not Reyes I'm being chewed out by," Kallista began as she tugged at her tie and button up shirt. Malik looked at the woman intrigued and slightly invested in how many buttons she was going to undo.

"It's coming from Overwatch. It's not Morrison, not so much Captain Amari, but Agent Gerard and Agent Shepard," Kallista replied.

"And they are?" Malik asked.

"Overwatch Intel...which is why I asked about your health especially with your immune system being weak and all," Kallista replied.

"Oh...uh…" Malik began. Kallista glanced at the man sitting across from her and crossed her arms, she knew that the man had been forgetting to take his medication. One of the Doctors assigned to monitor his health reported to her on him.

"They specifically asked for you and I don't even think Reyes knows about this yet...," Kallista trailed off as her sharp blue eyes met his golden speckled obsidian eyes.

"So they've finally come to realize my greatness?" Malik chuckled

"I mean...you and I both know that you don't consider your past great," Kallista replied. The man instantly narrowed his eyes as he gripped his cane.

"What...do they...wanna know?" Malik questioned.

"Talon. They want to know about Talon," Kallista replied.

"They want to know about Talon? Why? Why now?" Malik began his anxiety flared as he spoke.

"Hold on don't go off on me now," Kallista began.

"What do you mean don't go off on you now? Why do these fucks wanna know about Talon all of a sudden...are they-" Malik began.

" _Director Kaines!"_

Kallista instinctively stood from her chair and turned her attention to the woman standing in the doorway. She could tell just by the woman's features that something had happened for the worst.

"We have a situation," Linda began.

"This better be good Truffles," Malik said bitterly as he turned in his chair to look at the woman.

"We've lost all communication with the Research Vessel and Agent Bradley. Not only that, there is no signal coming from the vessel itself. It completely disappeared,"

"What do you mean lost contact with them? There is always a signal broadcasting regardless if we somehow lost communication with them for a short period of time," Kallista said as she walked towards the woman.

"Malik we'll talk later about this, this situation is an all hands on deck," Kallista said as she took Linda's holopad and exited her office.

"Fuck," Malik hissed under his breath as he stood and followed the two women from the office.  
-

"I can't even remote access or bypass the communication systems in the ship or with Agent Bradley's comm chip." Magnus cursed as he watched Kallista populate a holographic screen the research vessel's last coordinates.

"Last check in was approximately six hours ago, we've tried several times to re-establish the connection and got nothing," Linda said as she sat down at her desk and quickly populated the error and no signal messages she had received.

"Have you tried having Athena connect?" Malik questioned as he sat at his desk.

"Athena couldn't connect either," Linda replied.

"Have we already made contact with the Overwatch Base in South Africa?" Kallista questioned.

"Yes, we've been in contact with both the Overwatch base in South Africa and the Research Department here," Aleks replied.

"Work on forcing that communication request through," Kallista began as she pulled her hair up into a bun.

"We-"

A holographic screen pushed forward over all of the other screens, the screen itself was black but showed faint outlines of three figures. Kallista looked at the four behind her, they were confused as she was.

"What is this?" Kallista asked.

_\--Security feed before the signal was lost. Unfortunately, this was all I was able to find--_

"Thank you, Athena, begin playback," Kallista ordered. The playback was just a black screen with muffled noises, it was no longer than thirty seconds at best. It gave no clear sign of what transpired on the ship or who attacked it.

"Athena, can you raise the volume on the playback?" Kallista asked.

_\--The sound has been damaged from the original feed, shall I repair the audio?--_

"Yes," Kallista replied.

_\--Affirmative. One moment,...thank you for waiting. I have repaired the original audio to 45 percent, the original audio has been corrupted beyond my ability to repair without the physical device--_

_"_ Thank you, Athena. Please continue with playback," Kallista said and sighed heavily.

 _\--Affirmative_ \--

The playback was the same except for the faint muffling that Kallista's ears picked up.

"I heard something but I couldn't understand what they were saying," Aleks commented.

"Athena, please play back one more time," Kallista asked.

 _\--Affirmative_ \--

_{Let's continue...leave no one alive}_

"...Let's continue...leave no one alive..." Kallista repeated.

"Is that what it said?" Magnus asked.

"Yeah..." Kallista trailed off.

The room was silent as they attempted to digest what they had seen and heard, it wasn't much to go by but they already knew by the time rescue crew reached them it would be too late.

"Was...that...Talon?" Magnus whispered.

"I don't know…" Kallista replied.

"Logically speaking, It could only be Talon no run of the mill pirates would attack an Overwatch Research Ship," Malik commented.

"When are you ever logically thinking Malik?" Magnus commented.

"All the time Mags" Malik replied and shrugged.

"He's right...Talon would be the next suspect...especially because Null sector seems to isolated in a few area and not enough funds for any naval movements," Aleks replied.

"...Linda contact the base in South Africa and the Research department here, let them know. We have to tell Reyes about this," Kallista sighed.

"Ok," Linda replied as she repositioned her earpiece.

"Mags work on securing a stable connection, Aleks handle all mission support and reporting until further notice. Malik, get that tool open now. Before I leave are there any issues we need to resolve before I leave?" Kallista asked as she looked at her small crew. The crew shook their heads as they focused on their tasks.

"Sounds good, I'll be back. Athena...where is Commander Reyes?" Kallista asked.

_\--Commander Reyes is currently in the med-bay--_

"Thank you," Kallista said as she exited the room.

First, it was the ambush in Greece that killed not only their contact with information on Talon's new recruit and killed valuable Overwatch and Blackwatch agents. Followed by a possible hostile takeover of an Overwatch research vessel and the voice that spoke felt familiar to her but she couldn't place it. They were still in the dark as to what happened to agent Bradley and the researchers on the ship

All of these situations had piled on top of one another all while Kallista was on the cusp of discovering what the Cheshire Cat was or had become. Everything was well timed, too well planned, too many casualties.

She knew that she needed to move faster, deal with the Cheshire cat and do what she needed to do to capture the double agent in Blackwatch. It was a process, a longer process than what Kallista imagined it to be but with the addition of responsibilities and mission it only got harder and the frequent migraines did not give any reprieve nor did the deafening silence that suddenly overwhelmed her.

"Fuck…" Kallista cursed as she reached out to the closest thing she could and grasped nothing, her visions steadily faded to black.

Kallista clicked her tongue in annoyance, she didn't have time for this and already knew that she needed to take better care of herself but time wasn't on her side. Slowly Kallista moved to the side of the hallway and crashed into a few things she continued her way down the hall hoping that her hearing would return. She made her way down the hall when she heard muffled noises as if someone was tried to speak to her.

" _Kalli, can you hear me?"_

"McCree? Jesse?" Kallista asked.

"You ok? Did you go blind again?" Jesse asked.

Not many people within Blackwatch or Overwatch knew about the severity of her symptoms. They knew there were days where she had prolonged migraines, head pains but no blindness, hearing loss and sometimes the inability to function. Jesse was one of the people that knew, years ago Reyes had the man keep an eye on her while he was away and still occasionally watched her.

"Jesse…" Kallista said as she gripped the man's hoodie.

"I'm here, I'm here," Jesse said as he gently grabbed her forearm and pulled her towards him.

"Take me to the med-bay," Kallista said.

"So pushy Kalli," Jesse chuckled.

"You call me Kalli one more time and I'm going to shove my foot up your ass," Kallista warned the man.

"Ok, ok, ok sheez. No need to get up in arms, I'm just messin' “Jesse huffed as he began to lead Kallista to the med-bay. Within minutes Jesse had Kallista at the med-bay and watched as she was being examined by Dr. Hasibuan.

"Hey, Doc, yer always up till the crack of dawn. Don't you know what sleep is? “Jesse questioned

"No. What is this sleep you speak of?" Seraphina replied as she gently squeezed the IV pouch attached to Kallista's arm.

"Damn, they got y'all working like workhorses," Jesse tsked.

"A doctor's job is never done," Kallista commented sarcastically.

"Sounds like it," Jesse trailed off as he turned towards the man that casually approached them.

" _What happened?"_

"Jefe," Jesse nodded to the man.

"Reyes?" Kallista questioned as she turned her head towards the source of the voice. Gabriel quickly glanced at the woman and realized what had happened, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder to let her know that he was there. Silently, Seraphina took note of the two before she turned to inject a clear serum into the bag.

"This will replenish your lost liquids, you were severely dehydrated, your blindness is temporary but alarming nonetheless," Seraphina commented

"I'll  **see**  you later Kallista," Jesse chuckled.

"Keep your jokes to yourself, Jesse," Kallista replied.

"Someone is grumpy today. Betta handle that Boss," Jesse commented.

"McCree get the hell out of here before I kick your ass myself," Gabriel growled at the man.

"Aye Aye Boss," Jesse smirked as he nodded to Seraphina and promptly left the med-bay.

"It's a side effect," Kallista commented.

"A dangerous side effect," Seraphina corrected.

"You don't say Doc," Kallista replied sarcastically.

"Just making you're well aware, love," Seraphina replied with just as much sarcasm as Kallista.

"Do I need to leave or something?" Gabriel questioned as he watched the two woman interact with one another.

"No," The two replied

"Rest. I'll give you time to talk to your Commander...alone," Seraphina said sarcastically as she left the two alone in a secluded corner.

"I feel like I'm missing something," Gabriel said as he pulled up a chair next to the bed.

"It's nothing, we're just being catty," Kallista replied, Gabriel, sighed as he pulled off his gloves and gently took her hand.

"What happened?"

"That's not important I-" Kallista began.

"Isn't it?" Gabriel asked. Kallista sighed softly as she gently rubbed her eyes, he was always worried more about her health that she was.

"Look, we both know my vision will come back. We have other bigger things to worry about-" Kallista began.

"The Research Vessel to Antarctica?" Gabriel questioned.

"You already knew didn't you?" Kallista said.

"Kallista, you should know this by now...I know everything that goes on in my department. I was on my way to see you and hope that you had something good to tell me," Gabriel replied.

"Of course you knew, what the hell was I thinking?" Kallista murmured.

"Act first, think later, that’s usually your motto," Gabriel replied.

"You make it seem like I'm an open book," Kallista scoffed.

"Do you want me to answer that?" Gabriel asked.

"No. Forget I even said that," Kallista huffed.

"My main focus is on Danica, we don't know what happened, and we can't get in contact with her," Kallista said quietly.

"Danica is a strong, smart, observant woman. If there's something she can't handle at a first glance, she'll find a way," Gabriel replied.

"You're right but..." Kallista trailed off.

"But what?" Gabriel asked silence fell between the two. He could tell that she was hesitating

"Kallista," Gabriel began.

"It's more than that, it’s not some run of the mill pirate-" Kallista started.

"Hold on," Gabriel cut her off.

Kallista heard the man stand and move away from her, there one someone else in the med-bay besides Dr. Hasibuan and patients. As if to follow his movements, Kallista turned her head in the direction of where she heard the man sigh.

" _I'll talk to him...he's in the rehabilitation chamber?"_ Gabriel asked, his voice was a whisper in an attempt to be secretive.

" _Yes. We've given him his treatments but nothing seems to be working...Dr. Hasibuan and I can only do so much,"_

It was Angela.

" _I got it_ ," Gabriel replied.

" _I'm sorry about this Commander Reyes...especially...right now,_ " Angela's voice was soft but Kallista was able to hear her perfectly.

"I'll go check on him in a second," Gabriel said as he began towards Kallista.

"Understood," Angela replied.

"Kallista," Gabriel started.

"I'll be fine. I don't need you to hold my hand as I recover. Go do what you need to do," Kallista replied.

"You are grumpy, have you had coffee yet?" Gabriel commented with a chuckle.

"Excuse me?" Kallista replied appalled.

"We'll continue this talk later," Gabriel said as he placed a hand on her shoulder and gentle knowing squeeze.

"Bring me coffee and maybe I'll forgive you," Kallista replied.

"I'll do what I can," Gabriel replied.

Gabriel hesitated at first to leave the woman's side, she had been in the med-bay twice in 24 hours. He was worried about her wellbeing along with the one million other things that needed his attention. He slowly removed his hand from her shoulder and began to walk towards what Kallista thought was the exit, the soft hiss of the doors opening and closing behind the man was a giveaway.

"Seraph," Kallista called out for the woman.

" _What?"_

"Come here, I need your assistance," Kallista replied as she moved towards the edge of the bed.

"Didn't your  _commander_ tell you he's coming back?" Seraphina mentioned, her words laced with sarcasm.

"Did you know it’s quite rude to listen in on personal conversations?" Kallista commented.

"It's a public space, honey," Seraphina replied.

"It is also a private conversation," Kallista added.

"Whatever you say  _Director Kaines._  Now, what can I do for you?" Seraphina asked.

"Lieutenant's Dontsova's serum, I need it," Kallista replied,

"In moderation Kallista, it can become very addicting," Seraphina commented.

"I am well aware of the risks...I just need this recovery to speed up. I have tasks I need to complete," Kallista replied as she rubbed her eyes.

"Miss Busybody. You sure the Lieutenant and your commander will allow for you to consume this while off the field?" Seraphina questioned.

"They'll be fine," Kallista waved off the woman's worry even though she knew that both of them would chew her out if they knew.

"There are so many restrictions to hide your health records that I find it appalling and hilarious at the same time. How do they expect me to give you the best treatment without knowing your history," Seraphina sighed annoyed.

"They need to give you clearance for Blackwatch personnel...or just follow orders," Kallista replied.

Kallista knew that there were only a select few who had access to their medical files, regardless of how many times she had treated Lyudmila, Reyes or herself, she still didn't have access and Kallista knew that she wasn't going to no matter how many times she would request it.

"Like you do?" Seraphina questioned.

"Ouch...did something happen today you're extra prickly,?" Kallista asked.

"Maybe...but answer this before I give this to you. You two are more than just coworkers aren't you?" the woman asked.

"What makes you say that?" Kallista questioned.

"I saw the way he looked at you, how he came running back to the med-bay when I called," Seraphina replied.

"So you called him," Kallista commented.

"Dr. Ziegler's orders," Seraphina replied.

"So you do follow orders," Kallista commented.

"Never said I didn't or show signs of it," Seraphina replied. Kallista brushed some of her hair back and sighed.

"How about we get acquainted with a nice cup of tea when I get my vision back?" Kallista asked.

"Fine, I guess there's more I want you to tell me anyway," Seraphina shrugged as she went to get a syringe and a vial of the orange liquid. Kallista knew that there was no time for rest, not when the research vessel and all of its crew were in danger, not when the Cheshire Cat still ran loose.

She couldn't rest.

 


	19. A Cold Reminder pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Casualties were always a cold reminder to those fighting for peace.

_Hours later in the Overwatch R &D Department_

* * *

 

“ Kalli said that there's a mission for me...and I'm not sure if I should be worried or not," Malik began.

"Why worried? You've been complaining about not being on the field as much-- that should be good right?" Mikael replied as he adjusted the man's exoskeleton joints.

"No. Not for this mission," Malik replied.

"Why?" Mikael asked as he continued to work.

"...It is a piece of my past that I wanted to stay buried as deep as I could bury it," Malik replied.

"Well...she knows that you're the only one that can do it though. It's going to be painful but-" Mikael began to explain.

"It's not that easy," Malik cut in.

"Are you just saying that because you’re being lazy? Or because you really believe that it’s not easy? “Mikael questioned as he stopped his work to look up at the man.

"Look. I know I indulge in other things to avoid doing things or I conveniently forget things so I don't have to do it. This is different...much different," Malik replied.

"Then?" Mikael asked as he went back to his work.

"I'm not ready. I can't do this," Malik replied softly. Mikael placed his tools down and looked at the man again, Malik turned his head to avoid the man's gaze.

"You can't keep running away from this Malik. It's going to keep following you until you deal with it. Each time you encounter it, “Mikael sighed.

"This is-You saw what they did to me, they made...they made me into what I am now. They made me into-" Malik began.

" _Quiet the mind and the soul will speak_ ," Mikael commented. Malik looked at the man, stunned.

"A Buddhist saying I tend to go to when I need to make decisions...it tends to help," Mikael commented sheepishly.

"...yeah…" Malik replied hesitantly.

“I remember what happened when we picked you up from that testing facility, believe me, I remember. Your wounds, mental state and the inability to speak English are hard to forget. But the fact that Kallista knows that you're the best of her agents, and probably the only one that could really spearhead the mission," Mikael said.

Malik remained silent as his mind wandered back to the torturous memories back at one of Talon's testing facilities. They were attempting to create agents that would be able to attack the psyche of their targets, dealing mind crushing hallucinations and more. No one was really sure if the project was a success or not, Malik showed no signs besides his abnormal eyes. He and another person were rescued from that facility that day, Jin Mikami, who was now a Neuroscientist in the Overwatch division, a doctor in charge of the man's health.

"It could be the perfect time to get rid of all those things that are holding you back, dragging you down you know? New year, new you," Mikael commented as he turned towards the smaller man that had entered the room.

"Torbjorn," Mikael nodded to the man as Malik remained silent.

"I see ya got that exoskeleton there," The man began.

"I was tweaking the joints so he can move easier. He complained about it being too tight," Mikael started.

"Well I want ya to know that I got some upgrades for ya," Torbjorn began. The two men perked up at the mention upgrades.

* * *

 

"I've been in contact with the Overwatch base in South Africa, they already dispatched a search and rescue team to the last coordinates of the ship," Ana began and sighed.

"We've been in contact with them as well. We have an agent on board and we've lost communication with them as well. I've already got my department working on pushing a signal through and I hope that we can at least establish a connection, anything at this point," Kallista replied with the thought of the ominous message from the security camera that was recovered nearly four hours ago.

Time passed quickly, every hour, every minute, and every second was just as important as the last. They had no inkling as to what happened on the ship if it was Talon or highly organized pirates. She knew it was Talon, there was no other way.

"Our window is narrow especially in those waters, but we should be able to make it to the ship in a matter of hours with the weather permitting of course," Ana replied.

"That's good. Please keep me informed," Kallista nodded a thank you.

"Of course...but I'm sure you know this bodes ill-wind Kallista," Ana said. Kallista sighed softly her eyes closed for a moment before she nodded.

She knew what the woman was referring to, the mole in Overwatch, people lives were at stake and Kallista could be blamed for not delivering on her part quick enough to save those lives. Kallista knew the risks and the responsibility, Reyes, and Morrison had bestowed that on to her and now she needed to deliver and fast.

"I know and understand. I am working within my means and it is difficult but I promise to deliver soon," Kallista replied.

"That's good to hear but you also need to take care of yourself. You look a little tired," Ana sighed.

"When aren't I tired?" Kallista commented.

"Not sleeping much?" Ana asked, a smirk on her lips, Kallista glanced at the woman and instantly knew what the woman poked at.

"Insomnia and I aren't the greatest friends nor am I good friends with a decent sleep schedule," Kallista replied. Ana laughed softly and nodded, Kallista pulled out her cellphone and noticed that she had several messages from Overwatch agents and more.

"It was nice talking with you, Captain Amari. I’ve got to catch up on these messages," Kallista nodded to the woman as she stood.

"Likewise Kallista, I don't see you very often so please take care of yourself and rest," Ana replied as she focused back on her computer.

"I will do my best," Kallista partially laughed and exited the woman's office.

Kallista made a beeline to her room as she read the emails she had received, an email thread from Talli that she had sent to herself and a few of the other women in Blackwatch about her engagement and how she needed advice on what to do next.

There was an encrypted message from their contact from the Frost Network, Mamma Jelli, about their new recruit and how they needed to meet with someone from Blackwatch to confirm.

There was an email from Aleks about updates on Cassius Park and his connections, Sterling and Mendoza signed a merger of companies whilst Park donated a lump sum of money to Pavetti tech and more.

The final email was from DeadFoxHound with a possible lead on where the Cheshire cat would strike next.

With her mind drowning in mission details, Danica's unknown status, the upcoming missions, recon reports, wedding details and more. On the verge of crashing she barely entered her code to her room correctly, she stumbled into her room and dropped everything in her hands onto her desk. She plopped down on her bed and was immediately out.

* * *

 

Gabriel grumbled as he walked down the silent halls of the Overwatch division, a holopad in one hand and his dark coffee mug in the other. More and more work seemed to pile up daily even after he thought he had cleared some up, everything needed his attention, everything. Blackwatch's trump card had recovered to some extent but still had his issues of conforming to his new environment and what had happened to him. He hoped the man would be stable enough to join them a few missions in the future to deal with the Shimada clan.

He glanced at the horizon as the sun had barely peeked and hoped that he would have a moment of peace to himself before everything started up again. It was quiet for now and hoped that he could get some sleep but that hopeful moment of peace was interrupted as he heard horrible retching further down the hall. The man sighed annoyed, he figured it was an Overwatch agent who had a little bit too much fun the night before and was now emptied the contents of their stomach into one of the general garbage cans.

He casually made his way down the hall as he sipped his now lukewarm coffee, he readied himself to chew out the agent for their drinking habits and behavior but wasn't prepared to see the petite form hunched over the garbage can.

"Natalie?" Gabriel said confused as he quickly placed his coffee mug and data pad to the floor, and moved over to the woman to hold her hair until she was finished a few moments later.

"I thought I told you to stop trying to out drink people," Gabriel sighed. Natalie wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as she slumped against the wall.

"Mama didn't raise a quitter," Natalie replied as she grimaced as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand

"She was attempting to raise a doctor," Gabriel replied.

"And she got something completely different," Natalie chuckled.

"Either way, you need to calm down with your drinking habits," Gabriel commented as he held out a hand to help her to her feet.

"Where's the fun in that?" Natalie chuckled as she took the man's hand.

"Nat," Gabriel warned.

"Besides this is something different…" Natalie waved off the man's warning as she leaned partially onto the garbage can.

"You eat something bad?"

"No, but I'm gonna need a whole feast after this. You know I can eat for like six people," Natalie laughed.

"I know and you can out drink a man that's twice your size and weight easily," Gabriel commented. Natalie grinned and cleared her throat.

"I'm gonna go to the med-bay and-" Natalie began.

"You might as well tell me while you're here because you know I'm going find out," Gabriel said as he bent over to pick up his holopad and coffee.

He could always tell when she held something back from him, he had watched her mature into what she was today. He scouted Natalie from Phoenix Corps, a Texan security firm, specifically from the Valkyrie Division of the company. A division made up of all women who were all technologically enhanced in some way, Natalie's eyes and strength was enhanced, her strength rivaled his and her vision was perfect she never missed a shot.

Over time he began to treat her like a daughter he never had, despite the roundabout ways she went to get him to smile or relax when stress was rampant in the growing Blackwatch Division.

"What makes you think there's something going on?" Natalie grimaced as she cleared her throat again.

"How long have I know you, Nat?" Gabriel asked.

"Are you pulling the dad card on me, because that's what it feels like," Natalie scoffed.

"Well shit, here I thought I was a good father figure for you and everyone else," Gabriel chuckled

"I kid, you have been and I appreciate it but…" Natalie trailed off.

"You're also bad at hiding things," Gabriel added.

"Ok, maybe, but this is a bit more sensitive," Natalie replied. Gabriel silently looked at the woman with a critical eye as he took a sip of his coffee, he did notice that woman had looked sickly recently, and was late for training or missed it completely. He had his suspicions, but never assumed and waited for her to tell him.

"What did you get yourself into Natalie," Gabriel said cautiously.

* * *

 

It was early afternoon when Kallista was back at work and was in a phone call with an agent from the South Africa Overwatch base.

_{The ship was definitely attacked by Talon, there were no survivors looked like a slaughterhouse, the research material for the base in Antarctica and the entire ship seemed to be gutted as well.}_

"That's bad news my friend, please tell me you have good news?" Kallista sighed.

{ _I have some, there were a few emergency escape capsules missing, we barely had enough time to anchor the ship to a transport ship before the waters became too strong. But we are sending out the coast guard to search. In the meantime, we are pulling the ship back to shore so that we can properly begin burial preparations. In the meantime we have our crew on board identifying the bodies and locating the missing escape capsules}_

Kallista leaned back in her chair as she steepled her fingertips over her lips in thought. The ship had been gutted, everyone on board was slaughtered, and that small glimmer of hope of Danica making it to an emergency capsule was starting to fade.

"Were there any signs of Agent Bradley?" Kallista asked, prepared to hear the outcome she didn't want to hear.

{ _No signs of the agent. Her sleeping quarters were searched but we can assume that she could be one of the few that made it to the emergency escape capsule…}_

Danica wasn't among the ones dead on the ship, but she could be one of few who managed to get to safety only to be met with the dark icy waters of the South Atlantic Ocean. She knew that she needed to update both Gabriel and Lyudmila about the situation but they were both busy with the sudden Anti-Omnic revolts in South Korea and Russia.

"Thank you. Please keep me informed of any updates," Kallista sighed.

_{Of course, Director Kaines. Please rest easy my friend}_

Kallista ended the call and leaned further back in her chair, she had a migraine that wouldn't go away and she was more than worried about Danica.

_Was she ok?_

_Was she hurt?_

_Was she dead on the emergency escape capsule?_

She took off her glasses and tossed them to her desk all while she placed her feet up on her desk,

"Kallista,"

The woman turned her attention to the man that quickly approached her desk.

"Gabriel," Kallista said as she took her feet off her desk and stood.

"I need you to rush a favor for me and prepare to meet our contact," Gabriel began.

"A favor? And are you referring to Mamma Jelli?" Kallista questioned, there were no such things a favors between the two. If they asked the other would do what they could for one another.

"Here," Gabriel said as he handed her the datapad he held. She took the information from his pad and move it to her computer. She quickly scanned the information before she looked up at the man.

"Transfer papers for Natalie?" Kallista asked.

"Temporary," Gabriel added.

"What's-" Kallista began.

"She's expecting and too far along for me to put her on the field," Gabriel replied.

"Pardon me. I don't think I heard you quite clearly. Did you say that Natalie is expecting?" Kallista asked. Gabriel smirked at the woman's confusion.

"I love it when your accent comes out," Gabriel commented.

"Gabriel," Kallista said firmly and rubbed her temples.

"You heard right. She's expecting," Gabriel said quietly as he moved over to her, worry laced his features.

"Oh my god...does Jack know? Is it Jack's? Who am I kidding, of course, it is," Kallista said to herself.

"Not yet, and I'm also expecting her to not say anything to him about it,” Gabriel replied as he gently pushed a piece stray hair from her face.

"Really? You would think -" Kallista started.

"It's her decision and whatever she decides to do she knows what's best for her," Gabriel cut in.

"I guess...does anyone else know?" Kallista sighed.

"Just the ones that need to know," Gabriel replied as he cupped her cheek.

"I see," Kallista replied as her brows furrowed.

"Migraines?" Gabriel asked softly.

"Yeah…" Kallista sighed and nodded.

"Have you gone to see Angela?" Gabriel questioned,

"No...I've been busy with other things," Kallista replied sheepishly.

"Make sure you do...the side effects will get worse if you don't," Gabriel gently warned her.

"Yeah…" Kallista trailed off as she averted her gaze from him.

She had already felt the side effects progressively become worse, increased in frequency or strength. The fatigue, muscle soreness, tenderness, insomnia, migraines, blindness, it just seemed to get worse with every hit.

"Kallista…" Gabriel began as he tilted her head up to look at her, she hesitantly looked at him, and her crystal blue eyes met his mocha ones.

"Don't make me worry about you more than I already do," Gabriel whispered.

"You already took me off the field and you're still worrying, you're going to get gray hair if you keep this up," Kallista whispered. Gabriel remained silent his eyes never left hers as he ran his thumb over her bottom lip.

"Gabe…"

"Shh...no words now," Gabriel said as he leaned down to kiss her.

" _Director Kaines-"_

Gabriel stopped mere inches from her lips and sighed heavily and remained still, his back still towards the woman that stood in the doorway of the woman's office.

"Linda...do you have any updates?" Kallista asked and sighed as well. Gabriel hesitantly stepped away from Kallista and moved to one of the empty chairs in front of her desk.

"I- I apologize but the South African rescue crew have arrived and concluded their prelim search and..." Linda trailed off.

"And what?" Gabriel pressed, a hint of annoyance laced his words.

"A quick search of the bodies...agent Bradley isn't among the ones who had been slain, but they have found bodies of Talon agents near agent Bradley's sleeping quarters," Linda continued.

"Ok, but there's no hard evidence that she made it to an emergency escape capsule," Kallista sighed.

"That is true, but I am working with Athena to restore the voyage data recorder that has seemed to be corrupted," Linda continued.

"Ok continue with the data restoration protocols for a VDR," Kallista ordered.

"Yes of course, but in regards to agent Bradley...the rescue window is rapidly closing and…" Linda began.

"Contact our recon team in the area and have them conduct a smaller joint search with the South African Overwatch base," Gabriel ordered.

"Yes Sir," Linda replied.

"Cain and Lucas should be in the area, contact them," Kallista added.

"Right away," Linda said and quickly exited the woman's office.

"I refuse to believe that Danica is lost and I'm not going to let them write her off as MIA," Gabriel scoffed.

"Maybe with a grumpy Blackwatch Commander on their ass they'll move faster," Kallista sighed.

"You should have let me step in sooner," Gabriel commented.

"You could have stepped in anytime your  _highness_ ," Kallista replied sarcastically. Gabriel scoffed at the woman's comment and stood.

"What else did you need to tell me?" Kallista grimaced.

"It can wait. Find Bradley and then we can talk about this next mission," Gabriel said as he began for the exit, it was Kallista's turn to scoff.

"You make it seem like I can't find her," Kallista frowned.

"I know you will," Gabriel said as he looked over his shoulder at the woman.

"Then why so much sass?" Kallista asked.

"Gentle nudging, Kallista," Gabriel corrected her.

"Sure...gentle nudging my ass," Kallista murmured.

"I heard that," Gabriel tsked as he turned to face her, Kallista shrugged her shoulders as she plopped down into her chair.

"Go see Angela...again otherwise you'll see me tonight," Gabriel said as he stood in the doorway.

"If I don't?" Kallista asked. Gabriel smirked at the woman sitting on the edge of her desk, a cat-like grin on her lips. She waited for his response even though she knew what it was going to be.

" _la curiosidad mató al gato, Kallista,"_ Gabriel said before the door closed behind him.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rough Translations:
> 
> la curiosidad mató al gato, Kallista : Curiosity killed the cat, Kallista


	20. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes choices are hard but are necessary for the greater good.  
> To tell the truth behind the Cheshire Cat...  
> To tell your comrades of 10+ years that you've decided to leave them...  
> To tell the truth to a loved one...  
> Choices are hard.

Three days had passed when Danica had finally returned back to the Overwatch base. Three long torturous days in the arctic waters, surrounded by prime hunters of the dark depths. She had managed to escape in an emergency pod, but the pod had been damaged and forced her out of the capsule. Exposed to the bone-chilling water, wind, Killer whales and more.

It was a miracle that she was alive and it would be only a matter of time until they knew the full effects of what happened.

"Director Kaines,"

"Mikami," Kallista greeted him as she stood near the man's desk. Although Danica didn't report to Kallista, she still felt responsible for what had happened, responsible for whatever was to come next with the woman. She felt as if she could have done better, prevented the slaughter that happened on the ship, that she could have prevented what happened to her.

She felt guilty. Guilty enough that she kept tabs on the woman's recovery, she needed to see for herself what was happening, she needed to be sure she was getting the best care there was available in both Overwatch and Blackwatch support.

She needed to know.

"It has been a while Director, what can I do for you?" Jin questioned.

"I have a couple of questions about Malik and about Agent Bradley," Kallista began. She could see the man tense at the mention of the man's name. It was quick and would have been missed if she weren't looking at the man.

"Ok. I'll help as much as I can," Jin replied.

Kallista glanced over the man, taking his demeanor before she spoke, she knew of the rocky relationship the two men, they were a thing and yet they weren't. They relied on each other during the scathing, torturous experiments Talon had put them through in order to achieve their far-fetched goals. He, Jin Mikami was the only who could decipher Malik when others couldn't. He knew Malik's extensive medical history and how to treat him and was used as a middleman to understand her stubborn colleague.

"Has Malik taken his medication and attended his therapy session regularly?" Kallista asked.

"Mmm...he hasn't attended a check in with me in several months, but I have received updates from Dr. Ziegler, Dr, Hasibuan's complaints and a few updates from Nurse Doubek but I have not seen him," Jin began as he pulled a datapad from a neat stack.

"I can only assume that he has," Jin finished as he looked up from the pad in his hands. Kallista picked up on the man's hesitation, there was more but she didn't have time to dive into their emotional baggage and based on how often Malik avoided Jin. There were tons of it.

"May I ask why?" Jin questioned.

"Simply put, I need him to man up and face his past. I need to know if he's somewhat able to do it," Kallista replied.

"His past? Director-" Jin began.

"It's confidential, nor has he actually agreed to do it. I will not say anything else," Kallista sighed as she shifted her weight to her other leg. Jin continued to stare at woman silently as he became lost in his thoughts.

"It's quite rude for you to stare," Kallista commented.

"S-Sorry. May I ask one more question?" Jin questioned.

"It depends on what it is," Kallista replied.

"Will he be alright? He's not getting into something that's going to get him killed…." Jin trailed off. Kallista placed a hand on her hip and pursed her lips together.

"You're still worried about him even though he avoids you like that plague. You must be really smitten with him," Kallista sighed. Jin looked away from her at that moment, she knew that she had struck a chord with the man.

"It's none of my business, but it really depends on how Malik and if he'll do some reckless shit. Either way, he's going to have to face the consequences without someone holding his hand," Kallista replied.

"That sounds like he's getting himself into something," Jin replied.

"Blackwatch is dangerous, Overwatch is dangerous. You should know that even if you're tucked away in the labs. Your pacifist ways may work in Overwatch and off the field to some extent, but not in Blackwatch. We do what Overwatch will not," Kallista replied.

"I understand...but I digress. Is there anything else you wish to discuss Director Kaines?" Jin asked as he changed the subject.

"Danica Bradley. I need you to monitor her mental health and stability," Kallista began.

"Agent Bradley? I believe that Nurse Asuka is in charge of her care and recovery as well as Nurse Doubek. But I will make sure to check in on her," Jin said as he pulled up a holo-screen of Agent Bradley's medical files.

"Thank you. You can send updates or any concerns to myself, Lyudmila or Reyes," Kallista added.

"Understood," Jin replied as he scanned the woman's files. Kallista nodded and exited the man's lab.

He sighed softly as he leaned back in his chair, lost in his thoughts. He didn't need her to tell him about what Malik was getting himself into, he knew there would be a day where they would want to use both of them to explore Talon or to use their unique skills to weaken the organization. Not to mention the propaganda, the riots, and murders were just a beginning of a whole other issue.

It wasn't hard to see where everything was leading to.

After she had stopped at Dr. Mikami's office she made her way to the med bay to check on Danica herself. She had seen her when she had first returned, her lips and skin were speckled with red blotches and her limbs a pale blue. Her clothes were practically frozen, tattered from the treacherous arctic winds and water, the bandage and gauze she used for an injury had broken into pieces and stuck her skin. Even with her severe condition, Gabriel believed she would pull through and Kallista was inclined to believe him, but she needed to see it for herself.

The soft beeps of heart monitors and the quiet murmurs of nurses and medical staff filled Kallista's ears as she entered the large sterile room and quickly glanced around. It didn't take long for Kallista to find Danica, the woman that had saved her, Reira Asuka, a young newly trained medic that had joined Overwatch almost a year ago.

"Miss Asuka, "Kallista began quietly as she moved over towards her. The woman quickly looked over her shoulder and towards Kallista.

"Ah, Director Kaines. I didn't expect to see you so soon," Reira began.

"I had time before my tasks today. How is she?" Kallista asked as she focused on the sleeping woman on the hospital bed.

"I see. She's progressing a little slow but she's recovering," Reira replied as she too looked at Danica.

"That's good news," Kallista replied and sighed heavily.

"I'm glad that we didn't have to amputate any limbs due to the severe case of hypothermia...she has some muscle deterioration, but it's minor," Reira began to explain.

"That doesn't sound like good news Reira," Kallista commented.

"I-I know but we've already conducted extracorporeal rewarming with success and her brain function is normal, even with the minor muscle deterioration but her strength will return when she begins therapy. With enough luck on my side I will have her back to Blackwatch in no time," Reira nodded.

"I can tell she's in good hands. Please take your time, if she needs rest and time we will handle it," Kallista replied.

"Y-yes. Of course. Um, shall I continue to report to Commander Reyes? “Reira questioned as she looked down at her datapad.

"If that's what he told you then you should follow his orders," Kallista answered as she looked at her cell phone.

"Understood," Reira nodded.

"Alright then, thank you for updating me, If you can't get in contact with Reyes or Lieutenant Dontsova please contact me," Kallista said as she turned to walk away.

"Understood Director Kaines," Reira replied softly and nodded as she turned back to the unconscious woman on the bed.

"We have to move otherwise the longer we wait the worse it will become," Lyudmila commented as she crossed her arms.

"If we act too quickly it could put Blackwatch in the under the spotlight and add more fuel to the flame that's under our asses," Gabriel replied.

"We already have eyes on the ground and we-" Lyudmila began.

"You already know that agents- No, Overwatch agents are being targeted by Talon and let's just assume that Null Sector and Talon are working together. That's another shitstorm that we have to dig through," Gabriel sighed.

"Another shit storm," Lyudmila sighed.

"There's too much shit going on in Eastern Europe and jokes aside, Talon planned all of this shit. They planned all of this and we didn't even fucking see it coming," Gabriel hissed as he stood from his chair and went over to the large holographic screen. He zoomed into four different countries that were already highlighted on the screen.

"These four countries are where Null Sector first appeared. Croatia, Austria, Hungary and the Netherlands. They began with these countries and then branched out to Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine. Concurrently, South Korea's homegrown anti-omnic group started making noise again," Gabriel sighed as he explained the situation he knew the woman already knew, but felt the need to reiterate the severity of events within Europe.

"There's too much, too quickly," Lyudmila commented.

"I told you it was all planned and we fucking missed it. It was planned so strategically that Overwatch is slowly being overwhelmed by the world depending on them to police their country," Gabriel grunted as he slipped off his beanie and scratched his buzzed head.

"The biggest concerns should be in South Korea. We were there before but it's worse and to be honest I can see it taking a turn for the worst…" Gabriel trailed off.

There was a short pause between the two before Lyudmila spoke.

"Are you saying...war...Reyes?" Lyudmila questioned as she turned to look at the man.

_War._

_A second Omnic War, a Second Omnic Crisis._

Something the world didn't need, there were still countries that were still healing from the old wounds and scars of the first crisis. There were still those who had not yet recovered from the trauma, the horrors of war and yet there were those who thrived in it, she was one of those people. It was all that she knew and yet she wanted to avoid it at all costs.

"Normally I wouldn't even utter the word, but it's possible," Gabriel sighed. Lyudmila remained silent as she moved to sit down, the possibility of war would be devastating

_Were they ready? How long would it take them to be ready?_

_Would she be able to perform without issue, be cool, calm and collected?_

_Would she be able to pull through this war?_

"Let's keep that in the back of our minds for the moment, about that new agent from the Frost Network," Gabriel began.

"Yes. Kallista and I have been in contact with our contact in the Frost Network and also with the Recruitment Director," Lyudmila began.

"I heard that you chewed them out," Gabriel chuckled as he sat across from her. Lyudmila scoffed as she leaned back in her chair and placed her ankle over her knee.

"They know they could have gone and retrieved this agent since they want her to be in their ranks. Don't they have people to do these sorts of things?" Lyudmila scoffed.

"They do, but this is different. We have the contact and it's better if we dealt with them instead of them. They're a close contact-" Gabriel started.

"Close contact? You sounded like you wanted to strangle the woman. Mamma Jelli was it?" Lyudmila commented as she stifled a chuckle.

"Evangeline…" Gabriel sighed and clicked his tongue as Lyudmila snickered across from him.

"How did you come across this contact if you don't mind me asking," Lyuda asked

"Evangeline or should I say Mamma Jelli and I have a rocky history, unfortunately," Gabriel scoffed.

"A rocky history?" Lyudmila asked.

"It's been a while since I've seen you this curious about me Lyuda," Gabriel scoffed again, the woman shrugged gently.

"I mean I already know you won't tell me about you and Kallista and I'm not one to pry. But…I am interested in this story Reyes. You can’t always be the mysterious alpha wolf of the pack," Lyudmila chuckled. Gabriel chuckled at the woman's comment, she was right in a way.

"She used to work directly under one of the Blackwatch Squad leaders before she decided this wasn't for her," Gabriel began.

"Mmmhm," Lyudmila replied, a small smirk on her lips.

"Don't give me that judgmental look, Lyuda," Gabriel sighed.

"I'm just listening," Lyudmila tilted her head slightly.

"Yeah. Sure…" Gabriel shook his head at the woman.

"Anyway...I'll keep my lips sealed until necessary," Lyudmila began.

"And this is why you are my right-hand woman Lyuda. Morrison and Ana are already aware of this and more than likely swamped in other meetings," Gabriel spoke up, thankful that the woman decided to drop the previous subject.

"Of course," Lyudmila nodded as she stood.

"In the meantime, you can expect to be on the field more. We need to see the situation for ourselves. Overwatch won't have the manpower to lend assistance, as they handle the other side of things," Gabriel commented.

"They handle the cleaner things while we handle the dirtier things," Lyudmila commented.

"Our way of life. It's been like that for a while," Gabriel added.

"Did you two have a thing together?" the woman suddenly asked.

"It's complicated," Gabriel replied.

"Complicated? Wow, Reyes-" Lyudmila began.

"It's not like that," Gabriel waved off the woman's suggestive comment.

"Right. I'll let Kallista know that she has competition," Lyudmila laughed a bit as she exited the room.

" **Dontsova! Get your ass back here!"**

* * *

 

"You ate what?" Aleks commented as his eyes switched between his monitors.

_[Why do you have to say it like that? It was one of the most delicious things I've eaten in a while]_

"You make it seem like the food in Zurich is terrible," Aleks replied.

_[I mean...it can be better. There's nothing like a home-cooked meal...not saying that the chefs at the base aren't good but there's something different about it]_

"I'll be sure to let the chefs know how you feel," Aleks snickered.

_[Don't do that. I'm serious.]_

"Heh. Why don't you cook for us when you get back? I've never had authentic Czech cuisine before," Aleks suggested as he closed one screen and opened another.

_[Sounds like a plan to me. I'll make you one of my favorite dishes]_

"We'll be waiting. But before I close this channel, how did your Salutem work?" Aleks questioned.

_[I didn't have to use as much, which is a good sign. I may have to adjust the makeup of the serum though. Some of the agents said they felt sick, which isn't a side effect]_

"You're supposed to heal people not make them sick," Aleks scoffed as he began to take note of what the man had said.

_[Hey. We're supposed to do a lot of things...and we don't but hey. I'll make it work]_

"Is that how Dr. Ziegler's students work?" Aleks chuckled.

_[Hey. I'm working on it, give me a break]_

"Right. I'm closing this channel. I'll see you in a few weeks. Sleep well and good luck on the rest of your mission,"

_[Ahoj~]_

"Coffee delivery," Magnus said as he entered the office with a travel tray full of travel cups.

"You actually went out to get coffee?" Linda spoke up.

"Might as well go all out," Magnus shrugged as he placed one cup by Aleks and one by Linda before he sat down at his own desk.

"Thanks, Mags,"Aleks thanked him as he switched holoscreens.

"Thank you, Magnus, "Linda said before she inhaled the sweet aroma of her coffee.

"It's so much quieter without Malik and Kallista," Magnus commented.

"Yeah…," Linda commented.

"Both busy with missions and all the other things that are about to explode," Aleks commented casually.

"Lucky them," Magnus scoffed.

"Basically, Malik gets to work with Overwatch on a special assignment, and Kallista is swamped in the Cheshire cat, PR and who knows what else," Aleks added.

Linda glanced at the two men silently, tension, uncertainty, the reports from the recon crew all pointed towards one thing. They didn't want to admit it, nor did they want to acknowledge it, it was too soon.

Even as they worked the word was at the tip of their tongues but they all refused to even utter the word. Everyone within Overwatch and Blackwatch was trained for war and there was less in the ranks that had experienced it.

Would they be able to deliver?

"I heard that Kallista is looking to add at least two more to the team… You know, just in case of emergencies, Magnus began.

"Oh? Where did you hear that from?" Aleks asked.

"Through the grapevine," Magnus replied as he sipped his coffee and side-eyed the man.

"Does she have any candidates in mind?" Linda questioned.

"Ellias Kallo? And she was looking at a few other people from Langley," Aleks replied.

"Langley? As in the United States?" Linda questioned.

"Yeah, but who knows she's busy with this recruitment mission Reyes assigned her to…" Aleks sighed.

"Didn't he kick you off of that mission to take it over himself?" Magnus commented.

"He did and I will say that I am a little surprised," Aleks replied a bit sour. It was rare for Gabriel to provide support for missions that could easily be handled by one of the Blackwatch Intel crew or by Overwatch Intel. He insisted and of course Aleks relented.

"Hah..I'm appalled that I wasn't assigned to the mission," Magnus scoffed.

"They knew that you'd be a terrible fit," Aleks bit back.

"Ok children, please calm down I can cut the tension between you two with a knife," Linda spoke up. Magnus and Aleks both huffed and continued to work in silence, until-

"Who is on the mission anyway? I don't have access to it for some reason," Magnus asked.

"So far, the lieutenant, Director Kaines, and McCree," Aleks replied.

"They choose McCree over me?!" Magnus exclaimed.

"Hold on now. It might not seem like it, but give McCree some credit…he has past experience with this," Aleks began.

"Bullshit," Magnus scoffed.

"He's talking about McCree's time in Deadlock,” Linda commented. Magnus huffed as he sunk into his chair, a pout on his lips.

"Ok and?" Magnus replied.

"You're acting like a child," Linda frowned.

"I am trying to figure out the reasoning behind me not being chosen for this mission. That's all," Magnus replied.

"How about you actually focus on work while we have the time to? Weren't you supposed to continue Malik's decryption and deciphering of the Talon tech?" Aleks started and took a sip of his coffee.

"About that…." Magnus trailed off.

* * *

 

It was late evening when Gabriel had gotten a break, he found himself in the Cafe reaching for a steaming cup of coffee to drag him through the rest of day. On his way out of the Overwatch cafe, he was immediately stopped by one of his agents.

"Pops we gotta talk. I gotta tell you something. Big. Huge. Super important," the shorter woman said as she began to drag him towards the nearest table.

"Pops?” Gabriel growled as she forced the man to sit and sat across from him, a large smile plastered across her face. Gabriel looked at her confused, she was normally rambunctious, bubbly and loud but there was something different about her that he figured out almost immediately. With one quick glance over he saw the small diamond ring on her finger.

"Well. Do you notice anything different? "Talli asked a large grin on her lips.

She beamed with a contagious energy that even had the man with a smile on his lips as he looked at her.

"I do, but I'm waiting for you to show me," Gabriel said and sipped his coffee. As soon as the words left from his mouth she quickly held up her left hand and pointed to the ring on her ring finger.

"Well, well, well," Gabriel chuckled. Talli giggled excitedly at the man's reaction.

"So he popped the question to you?" Gabriel repeated.

"Yeah! I was surprised of course...we've been dating for more than a year now...but I'm sure you knew that since you know everything that happens here," Talli laughed.

"True. Are you happy?" Gabriel asked, a small smile on his lips as he watched the woman across from him. He could tell that she was nervous, giddy to the point she fidgeted with the nails and hair as she talked.

"Y-Yes...I'm just nervous...like I feel so inexperienced when it comes to things like this. I can build you a reactor for a small ship or reverse engineer a piece of Talon equipment in a few days, I can get my hands dirty and what not, but this...I have no clue what I'm doing when it comes to this….I have no clue what I'm doing I had to ask others and rope people even, I even got Kallista in on this," Talli laughed.

"Did you now?" Gabriel chuckled at the thought of the woman being dragged into wedding planning.

"Yeah. She and the others said they would help after they settled somethings," Talli glanced at the man before she looked away nervously.

"Hey...you know...since my father is...would you do me the honor of handing me off at the wedding?" Talli began. Gabriel chuckled again as he leaned back in his chair, he could see the woman's face turn red with embarrassment.  
"You know I see you as a father figure...and it would be a great honor to -" Talli began.

"I would be honored to. Everyone has their bratty moments but even you’re all like family to me," Gabriel replied.

"Aww pops...that means a lot...thank you. It really means a lot to me…" Talli trailed off

"Of course," Gabriel nodded.

He did have to admit that he was happy for the woman and the future that she had ahead of her. It reminded him of his longtime dream of leaving all of this behind and to retire from Overwatch and start a new life even with his old age.

"So...when are you and Kallista gonna get married and have kids?" Talli questioned.

"Come again?" Gabriel questioned, caught off guard by the woman's sudden question.

"You heard me," Talli huffed.

"What are you trying to say Talli?” Gabriel began.

"Bullshit Reyes," Talli replied.

"You two are the perfect power couple and belong together. I won't stand for anything else," Talli said as she crossed her arms, Gabriel frowned at the woman as he placed his cup on the table and leaned back in his chair.

"My business is my business for a reason Talli. It's best that you keep your nose out if," Gabriel suggested firmly.

"Marry Kallista, and have a kid or kids and I'll consider it," Talli replied.

"Excuse me?" Gabriel started in disbelief of the woman's bold statement.

"When you marry Kallista and or have a kid, whichever one comes first, only then will I and the others stop being nosy," Talli replied.

"Talli-" Gabriel growled.

"Gotta go boss," Talli smiled as she patted him on the back and quickly retreated. The man scoffed at the woman's brazen nature. Sure he allowed them to speak their minds, engaged in meaningful conversations, gave them advice, a shoulder to cry on, whatever they needed. They were his family, he took their burdens, complaints without batting an eyelash. He was there for them but left himself closed off to those who weren't close to him, those who had suffered and grew with him.

He was a private man, the fewer people that knew about his business, the better. And yet, they stood next to him without a second thought. They wanted him to be happy with the piece of solace, the piece of happiness that he managed to find, managed to hold on to and something that wasn't temporary.

Every now and again he had doubts about everything, nothing was ever certain in Blackwatch. He knew that he could die tomorrow from one mistake, but he kept going. Despite the doubts, despite the questions of would he survive to live his wishful dream.

_Would they both survive?_

_Would they still be together in the end?_

_What did Kallista want?_

Gabriel sighed heavily as he ran a hand down his face and scratched his beard before he stood. He had an interrogation to conduct, he needed to focus.

* * *

 

The day had nearly passed when Kallista had left from the Overwatch division, she had training sessions, medical assessments and testing completed on her before she had moved on to her next task with the R&D department and yet she still had to do her work with Blackwatch. Kallista was on her way back to her room, her attention focused on the copious amounts of messages and emails she had received while she worked she didn't see the blond that stood in front of her.

_"Kallista-"_

Kallista flinched as she looked up at the taller man, it was Morrison.

"Morrison- what can I do for you?" Kallista asked as she took one more glance at her cell phone before she gave the man her full attention. With just a glance she could tell that there was something bothered the man, and to be honest, it was rare for the two of them to speak to one another.

She could see his hesitation to speak, he was nervous about something, the way he rubbed the back of his head, his arms crossed across his chest, it was a sign that he didn't want to give away too much information that he didn't want to say what he was really thinking.

"I...I wanted to talk to you about something but…" Morrison trailed off.

"Do we need to go to a conference room or something?" Kallista questioned.

"No- No it's not detrimental to Overwatch. It's more of a personal matter," Morrison replied.

"Oh? Ok?" Kallista replied slightly confused. Morrison sighed when he saw the confused expression on the woman's face.

"I'll just get to the point-" Morrison began.

"You're curious about Natalie's transfer," Kallista spoke up. His baby blues met her sharp glacier blue ones, of course, she knew. There weren't many reasons for him to talk to her.

"Am I that readable?" Morrison asked.

"Very readable," Kallista replied.

"Oh, great," Morrison replied sarcastically.

"You asked, just remember that," Kallista added.

"You still have that mouth on you," Morrison sighed again and scratched the back of his head again as he looked down at her, Kallista shrugged.

"You also don't have many things to talk to me about. So, Natalie, she was transferred because they needed her specific set of skills of a few various missions," Kallista began.

"Is that it? Is that really why she was transferred?" Morrison questioned.

"Skillset, she's kinda close to family and old colleagues that could be an asset to future endeavors…catch my drift?" Kallista said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms. Morrison studied the woman for a moment before he spoke, out of the few times he had seen her she was dressed casually, but now she seemed to be in uniform, besides the midriff.

"I would be inclined to believe that if I felt like she wasn't hiding or ignoring me," Morrison replied.

"Aww, Morrison you're opening up about your relationship with Nat. That's cute," Kallista smirked.

"I don’t need your sarcasm, Kaines," Morrison huffed.

"Ouch. The last name reference. I couldn't pass it up," Kallista shrugged.

"Laugh it up girl, you're no better with Reyes,” Morrison sneered.

"The Commander has bite as well as bark,” Kallista replied as she adjusted her weight to her other side.

"Your sarcasm kills me Kallista," Morrison sighed, Kallista shrugged.

"Back to the topic at hand, why is she going to be gone for so long? Why couldn't it have been someone else with the same skill set?" Morrison questioned.

"Didn't you ask Reyes or Lyudmila about this? They are her commanding officers, I am just a lowly Intel Director" Kallista huffed.

"Bullshit, Gabe fucking praises you like the sun," Morrison scoffed.

"Your humor is a bit lacking Strike Commander," Kallista replied, her voice void of any emotion.

"Kallista. I am asking you because you are closer to her. I know you know that there's something going on with her...and I just want to-no need to know that she's going to be ok or if there's anything I can do to help," Morrison said.

Kallista tilted her head slightly at the man's plea to know what was going on with Natalie. Based on the man's plea to know information about her, Natalie didn't tell him before she left. Kallista glanced at the digital blue lights above the Overwatch logo plastered to the wall. It was well past midnight, nearly 2 AM, Natalie was definitely on a small transport carrier to the United States.

"You're getting worked up over nothing. There's nothing wrong with her. She's just being Natalie," Kallista replied.

"Her avoiding me is already mind-boggling but...she's been aloof as of late, friendlier than usual...loving...but these past few days she's been ignoring me," Morrison trailed off at the last word.

"That sounds like Natalie to me...maybe she's trying to tell you something...or borrow your credit card," Kallista sighed as she looked bored at her nails.

"Is she pregnant?" Morrison questioned

"That's quite the extreme thought process...not to mention, too much info," Kallista commented as she fanned her hand out to look at her manicured nails.

"You might think so but I feel….I just...I feel like she would hide something like that…" Morrison trailed off.

"Why? Aren't you two saps in the stage of your relationship where you've talked about children? Do you want children? Do you want children with her?" Kallista asked. Morrison pursed his lips together as he shifted his weight to his other side as well.

"If I had the opportunity to, of course," Morrison replied as he looked at the smaller woman in front of him.

"With Natalie though?" Kallista added.

"Yes," Morrison replied softly.

"Aww...Morrison. You’re quite adorable when you blush," Kallista snickered at the embarrassed man in front of her.

"Knock it off, Kaines," Morrison said firmly. Kallista snickered as she placed a piece of loose hair behind her ear.

"Natalie is a smart woman, she knows what she's doing most of the time. There's nothing wrong with her, she'll tell you if there was something wrong," Kallista stated as she pulled out her cellphone to look at a message she had just received.

"Are you sure?" Morrison asked.

"You're the one that's in love with her. You should know more than I do. She's like a sister to me but what you two have is different," Kallista replied.

"I get that, but I also wanted to hear it from someone other than Reyes. I wasn't able to find Dontsova, but I'm glad that I was able to catch you," Morrison replied.

"Of course, it's not often that we talk like this but I do have a question for you," Kallista began.

"Sure," Morrison nodded.

“Thinking about settling down anytime soon Commander?" Kallista asked, a smile on her lips.

"I wasn't thinking about it at first, but recently I've thought about it...you know settling down. I want to put at least a few more years in Overwatch. You know to make sure the world is a bit more stable than now," Morrison replied.

"Of course, are you going to propose to her?" Kallista asked.

Kallista could see the man hesitate again, of course, she knew that he thought about it. The two had been together before she had arrived at Blackwatch, they spent years together so it would only be natural for the two to move in this direction. But it seemed like Natalie has missed the memo, she didn't tell him before she left and there was a low chance of her telling him anytime soon.

"It's also my job to notice things Morrison...but it's also my job to keep secrets. This one is safe with me," Kallista winked at the man.

"I really am that readable, huh," Morrison chuckled.

"Yup," Kallista nodded.

"Sounds like I need training huh," Morrison smirked.

"You should text her and see if Natalie will give you special training. One on One...perhaps in your office?" Kallista smirked as she patted the man shoulder as she walked past him.

* * *

 

It was nearly 3 AM when Kallista returned back to her room and had time to herself. The entire day had been dedicated to training for her upcoming mission, tech and equipment testing with the R&D Department in Overwatch, mission debriefs, planning and a little PR.

Since her encounter with the Cheshire cat in that strange digital space, there had been a few questionable articles about Overwatch being circulated around on the internet that proved to be distracting and presented questions about Overwatch's image, let alone mentions of its Spec. Ops group. Blackwatch wasn't mentioned by name but it was a matter of time before it became problematic, no one knew about Blackwatch and she and the other intended to keep it that way.

Freshly out of the shower and dressed in a large t-shirt, Kallista grabbed her cell phone turned her attention to a flood of messages she had received instead of the worry the uncertainty that scratched at her brain.

_Beep Beep_

Kallista hesitantly looked up from her phone and towards the door. The footsteps she had heard were familiar but not enough to determine who was at her door, let alone who would visit her this late instead of opting to send her a message. Kallista walked over to the door and opened it slowly, she was surprised at who was at the door.

"Mikael?" Kallista began.

"H-Hey...Kallista," The taller man replied nervously with a smile. Kallista quickly glanced at the man, it was really rare for him to come to her room and to her to so late at night. Mikael quickly glanced Kallista from head to toe before he adjusted his glasses.

"Am I interrupting anything?" He asked sheepishly, Kallista huffed at the man's question and opted to ignore it completely.

"Is there something wrong? Are you ok?" Kallista asked.

"I take that as a no...but I'm fine...I just need to talk…may I come in?" Mikael asked.

"Sure," Kallista replied as she stepped away to let him into her room. Mikael thanked her and quietly entered her room, Kallista closed the door behind him and turned her attention to the man.

"What's going on Mik?" Kallista asked as she grabbed a pair of shorts and quickly slipped them on. Mikael was silent as he pulled the chair from her small desk and faced her bed. Kallista moved over to her bed and sat down as she waited for the man to speak.

"I don't want to beat around the bush," Mikael began.

"Ok. On with it then," Kallista nodded.

"Remember how I said I was always that I wasn't really cut out for Blackwatch and I did the things necessary for a mission and what not?" Mikael began.

"Yeah," Kallista replied.

"Well..." Mikael trailed off.

It wasn't hard for Kallista to tell where this was going, she remembered the conversation that she and man had several times. Mikael wasn't a man known for killing, of course, he did it, it was part of his job, his life in Blackwatch but there was always a glint of remorse, sadness in his eyes when the adrenaline died down.

"Get on with it," Kallista urged the man as she crossed her legs.

" I...I just don't know if it's right. I don't know what I'm doing anymore...I just need...something I don't know, some type of direction. Something to tell me that I'm not abandoning everything I've worked for...that if I leave...nothing bad will happen ," Mikael started, hesitation in his voice.

"You're the only one that knows what's direction is best for you Mikael. No one can tell you which way is right or what direction is best for you," Kallista replied. Mikael sighed as he leaned back in the chair, he took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I don't want to be a disappointment...I don't want to lose everything that's here," Mikael sighed.

"Overwatch, let alone Blackwatch isn't going anywhere and I don't understand why you would think you would be a disappointment. Who would be disappointed in you?"

"Everyone, Overwatch, Blackwatch...Reyes…" Mikael trailed off.

"Mikael. I know for a fact that everyone, including Reyes, would tell you to leave if you wanted to. You are not obligated to stay, you've already put more than enough years into Blackwatch and Overwatch. Leave if you need to. Don't let Overwatch or Blackwatch stop you from doing what's best for you," Kallista replied.

"And that's the hard part," Mikael said as he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees as his head hung, defeated.

"Mikael...Mikky...Mik…Bones…" Kallista began when the man snorted.

"I haven't heard that in a while," Mikael chuckled.

"I know, that's why I said it. But I think you already know what to do, give yourself a deadline and follow through with it," Kallista replied.

"Easier said than done, Kallista," Mikael replied.

"I understand that...but you already know what you need to do...I'm not sure why you keep trying to convince yourself otherwise. Nothing will happen to Overwatch or Blackwatch, we'll still be here," Kallista sighed. Mikael sighed softly as he slid his glasses back on to his face and looked at her across from him.

"Yeah...I'm just overthinking things...you're right...Reyes told me to leave if I wanted to…"Mikael began as he leaned back in his chair.

"I would imagine so. I'm sure Lyuda said to do what you need to do," Kallista commented.

"That's exactly what she said," Mikael chuckled, Kallista chuckled as well.

"That's our Lieutenant," Kallista replied.

"Yeah...thanks for listening to me rant a bit...sorry if I interrupted your booty call," Mikael chuckled.

"He's not my booty call," Kallista frowned as she watched the man stand from his chair, a smirk on his lips.

"Oh? I don't remember saying a name, Kallista," Mikael chuckled.

"There's only one person that you would consider 'my booty' call," Kallista said as she crossed her arms.

"Oh? Did you two finally confess? Are you two something more then?” Mikael asked as he made his way towards the door.

"Get the hell out of my room," Kallista hissed

 


	21. Field Launch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Omnic retaliations growing, each nation is steadily becoming a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. The Overwatch Foundation and Blackwatch stand on the sidelines waiting and watching as events begin to lead the world towards another Crisis. Talon, Null Sector, and several anti-Omnic groups are seemingly working together to cause an explosive chain reaction in the world. With both organizations working together to maintain peace, missions upon missions, of course, there's room for more.
> 
> The Cheshire cat, still on the loose, a new recruit, undercover missions, and a quick recovery on the way. All with war on the horizon.

**-12 hours before mission start-**

Lyudmila sighed as she stood in the Blackwatch commons room, lately the large television screen had been glued to the International news channels with the occasional action-packed movie, cooking shows, to random cartoons.

_The Prime Minister of England, Circe Kent, and the President of France, Adrien Beaumont have both received heavy criticism from their parliament members due to the lack of action on Omnics and the potential scare of Omnic backlash._

" _This isn't anything new. They've been heavily criticized by everyone since the rise of Omnic retaliations,"_

" _Retaliations, you said the most important word in this entire debacle, debate or whatever you want to call this. There has been retaliation for something that these individuals have not committed._

" _Hold on before we go down this rabbit hole. Miss Alaster, you do realize that the Omnics have been shamed, degraded, attacked and murdered for crimes that did not commit. Secondly—"_

Lyudmila sighed again as she tossed the remote onto the dark colored sofa. Her patience for the news and their allegations as to what was really happening in the world had reached its limit. She knew what was coming, she and Reyes had already seen it on the horizon. Everything that had to deal with Omnics would lead to a full investigation by Overwatch and Blackwatch would be pulled further into this growing and soon to be an explosive situation.

She knew in the back of her mind that the Cheshire cat was related to the sudden backlash to the Omnics.

Kallista kept her lips sealed, as she should, but she wanted to believe that Kallista knew all of this was happening and would deal with this situation as quickly as possible all while she juggled her other duties.

Two days had passed since their initial briefing for the recruitment and two days after, Lyudmila would be on the field. Things were moving too fast for the world to catch up. No matter how much she wanted to avoid it but the festering turmoil would soon bubble over and threaten to consume everything in its way.

War would be on the horizon.

* * *

**-8 hours before mission start-**

"You sure you're ready for this?" Gabriel asked as he helped the woman from the cushioned mats of one of the training rooms. Kallista laughed breathlessly as the man pulled her from the floor.

"I'll be fine. I'm not that fragile civilian I was ages ago," Kallista replied. Gabriel arched an eyebrow at the woman as she slicked back a piece of her hair. She was right, when she was first placed into Blackwatch she was just a civilian with no formal training, and now she could take someone twice her side and survive a couple of hits, so he hoped.

"I just want to make sure you don't get your ass kicked out there. We haven't trained like this in a while," Gabriel chuckled.

"Oh please, I could easily break someone's jaw with one punch, besides you know our schedules have been a bit hectic," Kallista replied.

"Yeah, but you were just on the floor a moment ago. I'm doubting you just a bit," Gabriel replied as he crossed his arms, his joking demeanor gone.

"I keep telling you that you don't have to worry and nor is it accurate to use yourself as an example. It's quite unfair nor is it a good measure of what I can actually do," Kallista huffed.

"Talon or myself, it shouldn't matter who it is. You need to be able to give your all regardless of who you're going against," Gabriel explained.

"I know, I know…you and Lyuda have already kicked my ass enough. I learned," Kallista sighed.

"Gotta make sure you're prepared and let you know who's boss," Gabriel smirked.

"Come off of it you lout," Kallista scoffed as she pushed past him.

"Aww, did I hurt your feelings gatita?" Gabriel mused as he followed behind her.

"You're the worst," Kallista huffed as she continued into the women's locker room. Gabriel exhaled softly, maybe he was being a bit hard on their sparring session but he needed to be sure that she could still handle herself especially when he couldn't be there. He grimaced to himself as he entered the men's locker room.

Exhausted Jesse trudged into the locker room from his run around the Overwatch foundation with a few other recruits. He had been focused on his sparring and workouts because the mission he had to prepare for. His departure to Italy for a joint mission and possible recruit from the Frost Network. He muttered to himself as the sound of violent coughing echoed in the empty room.

Jesse chuckled a bit at the thought of a recruit coughing up their insides from Reyes or Lyudmila's training sessions. He smirked as he made his way to the stalls to console the recruit and nearly crashed into Gabriel instead.

"Reyes?" Jesse asked confused.

"McCree… What are you doing here? "Gabriel questioned as he pushed past him, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I jus' came back from a run… you ok? "Jesse asked. Gabriel quickly looked over at the young man and cleared his throat before he spoke.

"I'm fine,"

"I dunno Reyes it sounded like you were throwing up yer insides not to mention blood,"

"Blood? Where? "

Jesse motioned to his nose, Gabriel reached up to touch his nose and felt liquid on his fingertips. With a grimace, he opened his locker and grabbed a towel to wipe his nose.

"Kallista sucker punched me, "Gabriel replied.

"Sucker punch ya? Outta all people you let sucker punch you? Well, I'll be… jefe yer slippin' or she's got ya wrapped around her finger," Jesse huffed.

"That's not the case. I have other things on my mind, "

"Oh. I'm sure, "Jesse said as he sat down against the back wall bench. Gabriel cleared his throat as he rummaged through his locker, he stole a quick glance at the young man who lounged on the bench, cell phone in hand.

"Nervous? " Gabriel asked.

"Nah… It's gonna be smooth sailing, also with my favorite game too. It's gonna be great, "Jesse replied.

"Good. Think of this as a small…a very small vacation, "Gabriel emphasized his last words as he pulled out a small duffle bag from his locker.

"Oh boy. A work vacation, "Jesse sad sarcastically.

"Take what you can get cowboy, "Gabriel chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, "Jesse sighed.

"I heard that Italy, especially Milan is known for their food and wine. It's a shame that I won't see your ugly mug for two days  **after**  the mission, "

"A crying shame, "Jesse scoffed.

"See you in five hours," Gabriel nodded to the man and left. Jesse scoffed to himself as he stood and shoved his cell phone back into his pocket.

"Two days after the mission—"Jesse started and stopped when he realized what the man had said.

"Holy shit! Reyes! "Jesse laughed.

* * *

**-6 hours before mission start -**

"Natalie, how are you feeling?" Kallista asked as she looked at the tired woman on the floating digital screen.

_[Tired as hell, and I'm still not a fan of throwing up what I ate hours later]_

"That sounds absolutely horrendous," Kallista grimaced at the thought.

_[Well yeah…comes with the condition. How is everyone back there?]_

"I want to say that everyone is the same, but you know that's quite the stretch to say," Kallista began.

_[So then more stressed than usual?]_

"Unfortunately. Danica is still recovering so that's good news. She should be starting therapy soon, but I also like how you automatically assume that everything is bad Nattie. Not everything is bad," Kallista sighed as she pulled up another screen with various files listed on it.

_[I may not be at HQ but I'm still an Overwatch base and you know that news travels fast and well…the actual news too.]_

"You're supposed to be taking it easy,"

_[I am working, eating, listening, not sleeping, what else do you want from me]_

"For you to have a safe pregnancy," Kallista replied as her gaze flicked from the other screen and to the woman.

_[I know…but…Kalli…it's gonna get worse. How could I not worry about this?]_

Kallista sunk back into her chair and sighed. There were too many working pieces that connected with others but lacked the piece that connected them together.

 

_Was the rise of the Omnic retaliation related to the Cheshire cat and to the Anti-Omnic group in South Korea and the growing organization called Null Sector or was it combined effort in Europe and Asia?_

_How did Talon or whoever created the "Cheshire Cat" get a hold of the base code?_

_How did everything come to this point?_

 

"I know and I'm working on it,"

_[Move faster so that you and Gabs can go relax somewhere]_

"There's no rest for the wicked Natalie,"

_[I expected a tiny reaction from that but I will say you have such a killer poker face, Kallista]_

Kallista waved off the woman's comment as she laughed, there was no time for rest especially not now.

"Oh come off of it, will you? After this recruitment mission, we got pulled into I will be fully dedicated to ending the Cheshire cat fiasco," Kallista said as she stood.

_[Oh! That's right…with the Frost Network?]_

"Yeah. Reyes originally wanted you on this mission but somehow I got looped in but I suppose everything works out," Kallista moved to the other side of her small office, towards a large but slim terminal and began to input a code.

_[Well shit. I get transferred and you get to go out on the field. That's some B.S]_

"It was a quick decision and needed to be taken care of ASAP," Kallista said her focus on the terminal and the screens that populated around her.

_[Or Reyes wanted the personal satisfaction of seeing his little gatita in fishnets, stilettos, a pleather one piece with bunny ears and tail.]_

"Oh hush," Kallista waved off the woman's comment as she moved her back over to her desk and sat down.

_[You know it. I mean who wouldn't want to see you-]_

"Come off of it Natalie," Kallista warned.

_[I'm just messin', dang. I miss you guys already]_

There was a short silence between the two before Kallista sighed heavily and began again.

"When are you due?"

_[They say September…I'm barely starting to show though…just eating…a lot.]_

"Ah…that's not new," Kallista said as she looked at the calendar on her desk, it was barely February, she still had some time.

_[Gotta eat for two and keep that metabolism going…but I dunno why Reyes went all protective mode on me. He's not my real dad]_

Kallista leaned onto her desk as she watched the woman huff, the thought of how quickly Gabriel had Natalie's transfer papers ready to go made him seem like a father. It was in his nature to be protective of those so close to him, from what Kallista could tell Gabriel and Natalie had known each other for quite some time. Not to mention, life could be cut short at any moment. They all knew that but he knew the horrors all too well, he had seen many lives come and go, of course, he had his own close encounters with death, she had hers as well.

"He's the Dad of Blackwatch according to some," Kallista rolled her eyes at the title, everyone knew that he somehow took in strays so to speak and made them into the perfect agent he needed.

_[I guess that would make you the Mum of Blackwatch]_

"I'm not the one with a bun in the oven, Nattie. Nor am I thinking about having children,"

_[Touché my friend]_

"He's just looking out for everyone as much as he can. You know this,"

_[I know but I'm also not a child. I know my limits]_

"Do you?"

_[Don't give me that look. You know mama didn't raise a quitter]_

* * *

" _Asuka_ ,"

The dark haired woman quickly turned around and looked at the man who called out for her.

"Commander Reyes," She began. Gabriel nodded as he stopped near the bottom of the hospital bed and turned his attention to the woman rested on it.

"I came to check in on Dani, how is she—" Gabriel began.

"Boss," A weak and almost inaudible voice caught the man's' ear, the two focused on the woman as she seemed to stir.

"Dani," Gabriel started.

"Boss…what's up?" Danica asked. Gabriel grabbed a chair and pulled it closer to the woman's bed.

"Reira…can you give us a minute?" Danica asked.

"Of course. I'll be at the nurse's station if you need me," Reira nodded and took her leave. Danica watched the woman go before she clicked her tongue.

"You chased away my cute nurse," Danica chuckled weakly.

"I didn't you did. Besides, flirting while injured Bradley?" Gabriel questioned.

"She's cute. I can't help it and besides I'm sure you had a few attractive nurses, nurse you back to health," Danica commented.

"Maybe?" Gabriel chuckled.

"You lied to my face Reyes. I don't know if I can recover from that," Danica huffed.

"If Killer Whales can't kill you, let alone Talon. I think you'll be fine," He waved off the woman's jest as his normal, serious demeanor returned.

"How are you holding up? I've already seen your charts, but I want you to tell me," Gabriel began.

"Well I feel like shit, thankful that I have all of my limbs," Danica began as Gabriel nodded.

"I guess you know that I'll be starting therapy soon, so I'll be ready to go out on the field—"

"You're moving too fast. Get through therapy, checkups. If you're going to half-ass anything I don't want your ass on the field,"

"I know…I just don't want to sit here anymore," Danica sighed.

"Focus on recovering and then we'll talk about it," Gabriel emphasized on the woman's recovery.

He and Lyudmila had talked about the potential Danica possessed to grow in the Blackwatch ranks, she was trustworthy, reliable and knew that she was someone that could take the lead if he and Lyudmila could not.

There was always Kallista, but she was their last resort before control would be transferred to Overwatch. Despite not being as religious as he used to be, he prayed that it would never come to that.

"I hear ya," Danica sighed.

"Sounds like you've been hanging out with McCree too much," Gabriel commented.

"He's the one that's been keeping me updated on Blackwatch when neither of you can check up on your recovering daughter, "Danica chuckled, Gabriel scoffed as he shook his head.

"You assholes are like family but nowhere near my children,"

"You're disowning us? Me? But Reyes—"Danica pleaded jokingly.

"Don't press your luck, Bradley," Gabriel chuckled

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard you were going undercover? I wish I could see that," Danica commented.

"Let me guess…"Gabriel trailed off.

"You know he couldn't help but blab to me about it," Danica smirked.

"The one time I send him undercover he runs his mouth. That idiot," Gabriel sighed annoyed at the unnamed man's excitement for their upcoming mission.

"Cut him some slack Reyes. We're like peas in a pod, we trust each other, we don't share all of our secrets but we trust each other," She chuckled weakly.

"Sure. That's what I expect from everyone but I also expect everyone to keep their mouths shut about what we do and our missions," Gabriel leaned back in his chair and pulled off his signature black beanie.

Danica took a second before she spoke again, she had been housed in the intensive care unit since she had returned nearly two weeks ago, with minimal contact with the others. Jesse was her way of knowing what was happening in Blackwatch while she was out. His updates were needed to keep herself sane from being dragged back into the depths of her mind, back to the pit of darkness.

"You look tired," Danica commented.

"I am," Gabriel replied.

"And your hair….is longer than normal….Reyes, are you slipping?"

"Haven't had the time to get it cut. You going to point out all of my shortcomings?" Gabriel arched an eyebrow at her as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Might as well since you basically disowned me," Danica sneered.

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you, Bradley," Gabriel quipped.

"Ouch,"

"I'm glad to see you still have your humor, a clear sign that you're going to be fine," Gabriel commented as he slipped his beanie back on.

"Naturally. I got a cute nurse and the best technology to get me back on my feet," Danica sighed softly.

"You really got a thing for that nurse don't you?" Gabriel shook his head at the woman's persistence.

"I guess that's better than sulking and being depressed…"

"Exactly and…" Danica trailed off.

"What?"

"Can we talk after your mission?" The words were hesitant as they left her mouth, Gabriel picked up on it as he paused a moment before he replied.

"You didn't want to tell me now?"

"No...Not yet…" she trailed off again. Gabriel quickly looked at the woman before he cleared his throat.

"I can't promise you but I'll try to visit you before deployment,"

"Ok, I can live with that...can you bring Lyuda too?" Danica added.

"...Sure…if our schedules match up,"

"Ok," Danica nodded.

* * *

**-5 hours before Mission start- 2 hours before Kallista's deployment-**

Gabriel made his way from the med ward and was headed towards Morrison's office when someone called out to him, with his cell phone in hand he turned to see Kallista a few feet away from him.

"Kallista...what's wrong?" Gabriel asked, Kallista stopped a few feet in front of him and smirked.

"You always assume that something is wrong," Kallista commented.

"You're usually not out of the intel department unless there is something wrong,"

"I'm hurt Gabriel, you make it seem like I'm the bearer of bad news,"

"In most cases you are,"

"Ouch...what did I do to you?" Kallista laughed a bit.

"Nothing. What's up?"

"I wanted to touch base with you before I left for Italy...but I also have a mission proposal for you," Kallista began as she looked at the datapad in her hand.

"A mission proposal? We're already swamped Kalli, there's no room for more," Gabriel said as he motioned to move from the middle of the hallway to the side.

"It's not for you, it's for me," Kallista replied.

"For you?" Gabriel arched an eyebrow at the woman's sudden proposal.

"It sounds sudden, but it's not. I've been working on the details of this mission for quite some time. I've come to the conclusion that it's time to act," Kallista said as she gave the man the datapad.

"I hope this is for you know what," Gabriel commented as he took the pad.

"Naturally,"

Gabriel nodded as he began to review the proposal, from what he knew the Cheshire cat had been silent in terms of action, but on the web it had created a PR shit storm that Kallista and her crew silently worked with the Overwatch Public Relations and their Intel department to handle the flood of accusations and questions from the press. For the time being, he knew that the Overwatch Intel Department could handle it but he still made sure his Intel department knew about everything.

"Do you know where they are located? Their next attack?" Gabriel lowered his voice as he turned towards her.

"Not they. It and I have an idea of where they will show up next," Kallista replied.

"It? Kallista don't tell me-" Gabriel started.

"You're right. It is a sentient AI, well more like a non-lethal virus by itself...that currently has a host," Kallista replied nonchalantly.

"For fuck's sake, Kallista, how long were you going to keep this from me?" Gabriel demanded.

"Long enough to present you with this proposal and have you approve of it," Gabriel groaned in irritation at her methods.

"Let me guess...this A.I you already know about it because it's something you created," Gabriel commented sarcastically.

"I wouldn't go that far…" Kallista trailed off.

"Kallista...this is-" Gabriel started.

"It sounds bad, but it isn't...trust me," Kallista cut in before the man could voice his worry about the information she just gave him.

"Cut the bullshit Kallista. Just tell me," Gabriel said firmly as he crossed his arms, Kallista stood her ground and crossed her arms as she looked up at the man.

"I know of its origin, I know it's coding, I know how to stop it. What more do want from me? I'm doing my job so I can focus on the main reason why I'm here," Kallista replied. Gabriel sighed heavily and turned his attention back to the data pad in his hands.

"How about communicating with your superiors about situations that need special handling?" Gabriel suggested as he began to enter his unique code into the data pad but stopped before he completed the entire code.

"I will approve of this mission for you but under certain circumstances," Gabriel began.

"Which are?"

"You report back to me every six hours, I don't care if I'm in a mission or not. I want to know where you are, what you're doing and where you are going. Once this is handled, destroy all traces of this thing so that this won't happen again,"

"That was my goal from the beginning," Kallista turned her attention the digital blue holographic numbers about the Overwatch logo in the hall.

She knew that this whole situation had gone on a lot longer than what they both expected, after the recruitment mission, this would be her main focus.

"More importantly…"

"Hm?" Kallista's crystal blue eyes focused on his chocolate brown ones that were focused on her.

"What?" Kallista questioned softly.

"You come back to me...unharmed," He replied quietly.

Kallista nodded as the two held each other's gaze, Gabriel's gaze softened for a moment before he turned his attention back onto the data pad in his hands. He entered the last bit of his code and gave the datapad back to her.

"Handle this, Kallista," Gabriel added.

"I will," Kallista said as she entered her code to confirm the mission.

" _Hey, Boss~!"_

Gabriel and Kallista looked towards the source of the voice and saw Hayden with an older woman next to him. Gabriel and Kallista glanced at each other as Hayden and the unknown woman approached them.

"Hey Boss, Kallista, I'm glad that both of you guys are here. I want you to meet Isla, my mother," Hayden beamed, a big cheesy smile.

"Nice to meet you," Gabriel greeted the woman curtly.

"Mom, this is-" Hayden began.

"Is this the Gabriel you've been telling me about?" Isla began. Gabriel's dark colored eyes flicked to Hayden in a silent, intimidating questioning look.

"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Isla. I am-" Kallista began.

"Kallista right? You're Gabriel's wife right? You're so much cuter in person," Isla began.

"Pardon me?" Kallista blushed and looked confused at Hayden.

"Birro, what have you been telling her?" Gabriel questioned, the tone of his question was enough to have Hayden jump a bit.

"It slipped," Hayden replied nervously.

"It slipped? What slipped?" Kallista frowned.

"No need to hang Hayden by his ankles," Isla smiled as her elbow jabbed Hayden in his side.

"But I will admit that you two are adorable together,"

"It's not like that," Gabriel started.

"I am afraid that there is only a work relationship between us," Kallista replied.

"Of course, a Commander in a relationship with a subordinate...that's quite scandalous. Doesn't mean it can't happen, you two make quite the couple, " The older woman replied and shrugged.

"Hayden-" Gabriel began.

"Well, would you look at the time. There's so much more I want to show you Mom...let's go down this hallway. It was nice seeing you Reyes, Kalli," Hayden began nervously as he began to usher the woman away.

"It was a pleasure to meet the both of you. Take care now and be sure to send baby pictures when they're born," Isla called out to the two as Hayden led her down the hallway, away from both of them.

"I'm going to strangle him," Gabriel sighed.

"He'll be dead before you get to him. I hope you're faster," Kallista commented nonchalantly, Gabriel snorted.

"We can easily go back to the training center and I'll be more than happy to put you on your back again Kallista," Gabriel scoffed.

"I'm thinking something a bit softer...for your back old man," Kallista commented as she playfully nudged the man before she walked away. Gabriel chuckled as he watched the woman disappear around a corner before he started again towards Morrison's office.

* * *

**-4 hours before mission start-**

Malik leaned back in his chair as he watched Overwatch agents enter the room and spotted a familiar face, Jin Mikami they acknowledged each other with a nod before Jin took a seat across from him. They both knew what this meeting was about, they knew what needed to be done. Kallista explained everything to him a few days prior to this meeting. In the back of his mind, he knew that this was coming it was just a matter of time.

He thought that it would have happened sooner.

"No senior agent with you?" One of the Overwatch agents asked as they passed him to their seat.

"I am a senior agent," Malik replied smugly, the agent shrug as they took their seat.

" _Yo Ramos,"_ Malik leaned his head back to see a man and woman sit down next to him.

"Good to see you again Ramos,"

"Cain, Alice? What are you doing here?" Malik asked confused. Cain De La Cruz and Alice Rousseau, It was rare to see agents from the Reconnaissance division back at the Overwatch base even rarer for the both of them to be at this meeting. As far as he knew these two did not have any relation to Talon.

The last person to enter the conference room was one of Overwatch's top agent, Gerard Lacroix, entered and locked the door behind him.

"Afternoon everyone," Gerard began as his dark charcoal eyes scanned the conference room and momentarily stopped on Malik and then shifted to Jin.

"Thank you all for joining me. I'll skip the small talk and get straight to the point as to why we have all gathered here," Gerard pulled a small holographic keyboard from the table and began to populate smaller holographic screens.

"We're here because of Talon, this chaotic organization bent on disrupting the peace that many other sacrificed their lives for. Since the end of the First Omnic Crisis, Talon has been occupied with solidifying their stance in the underworld and have begun to take steps to upset the balance," Gerard began.

Talon. Null Sector and various anti-Omnic group, organizations, and sects appeared on each of the screens behind the man. Malik knew of all of them, instead of assisting Kallista with the Cheshire cat situation, she assigned him to research and recon of these organizations.

"Overwatch and Blackwatch have continuously worked in tangent to uncover their goals and means, waiting and watching for the perfect time to move. We all understand what will come if Talon is left unchecked,"

Malik pursed his lips together as he listened to the man speak, he was already apprehensive about this but listening to the man speak unsettled him. His leg bounced nervously underneath the table, his jaw clenched, hands clenched into a fists. He couldn't shake off this unsettling feeling from him.

He knew that this had to happen, he swore that he would tear down Talon with his own two hands for everything they had done to him, everything they had done to him in the name of science and to further mankind's rise to power.

_They did this to him._

_He did this to him._

But now that an action plan was in the early stages, it made him more than uneasy, perhaps he wasn't ready for this, his farce broken. Malik chewed on his bottom lip and cursed himself for letting his emotions, for letting his personal vendetta consume him. He was thankful that everyone was too engrossed in what the data that was displayed on the large screen in the front of the room, everyone except for one man who sat across from him.

Jin Mikami.

The man sat unperturbed by Malik's mental state, his pale silver eyes focused on the man. As if Jin knew what how it tortured him, how his memories wouldn't let him rest, wouldn't let him live and left him in worse shape than he was before all of this.

Through it all, Jin remained calm, he remained calm through all of it, he kept him centered, kept him grounded.

_They did this to him, they did this to them._

* * *

"Is this really necessary?"

**[I've told you a thousand times it is]**

"But why me though? I was perfectly fine back at the castle,"

**[Tierra. We've talked about this, I won't repeat myself. You have more potential than the girls at the castle. You're like a daughter to me and I want what's best for you. The Overwatch Foundation and Blackwatch is a step up from where you are now]**

The cerulean blue haired woman sighed as she looked at her reflection in the large dressing room mirror.

_**More potential than the girls back at the castle...** _

The woman scoffed as she adjusted the bunny ears band on her head. She knew what the whole purpose of this joint mission was, she had gone over it in her head a thousand times since she, Mamma Jelli, had told her. She also knew that the woman only had the best intentions for her and everyone back at the Crimson Castle, but was this truly the best thing for her? She never could come to a solid answer.

Higher risk for a higher return. More money, more experience, but at the cost of leaving everything she had grown with behind her.

" _Moira…get your head together…you have a mission to worry about. You'll deal with it when it happens,"_  Moira told herself before she adjusted the collar around her neck and turned to exit the dressing room.

**[Get your head on straight…we can go over the finer details after this? Understood?]**

"Understood," Moira walked towards the rail and looked down at the casino floor before she made her way down the stairs and headed towards the gold embellished glass trays.

**[The Blackwatch agents have already blended into the crowd. Your target is at poker table number 8. There are two Blackwatch agents there. One is the dealer, the other is a patron. The dealer is the lieutenant]**

"The woman and the man with the terrible facial hair?" Moira scoffed as she caught a glance at the table across the way.

**[You should see how he normally dresses…poor boy needs help]**

"Are those really mutton chops?" Moira looked around the large hall taking in the patrons and their greedy ways

"And the other?" Moira whispered as she grabbed a circular glass serving tray and made her way to the bar to fill her tray with drinks.

**[She is a Bunny Girl, similar to you]**

"So I won't recognize her," Moira said as she gave the bartender a smile.

**[I assume that she will be disguised more heavily than either of them due to her former career]**

"You sound amused," Moira commented.

**[The Blackwatch Commander's favorite to put it lightly. She's good at her job, former political commentator and cybersecurity analyst, but who knew that he was into those types...]**

"Did you have a thing with the commander?" Moira asked as she continued through the hall

**[Who knows...focus on your mission. Radio silence Tierra]**


	22. Whims of Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a favor to Overwatch the mission to recruit a new agent was in full swing, but now all of the pieces were slowly coming together. He had 48 hours until he would be back on the field ready or not but he needed to see the connections himself.

"Everything is going smoothly Commander Reyes,"

"That's what I like to hear Kallos," Gabriel commented as he kept his attention focused on the security cameras of the casino.

The small team of his agents were scattered among the busy casino floor, he was their main point of contact while on this joint mission with the Frost Network, and of course this was not a normal occurrence for him especially when there were so many senior agents on the field.

But he needed to be sure that this ran smoothly.

He wanted to be sure and judge everyone's performance, he had discussed this with Lyudmila before they were shipped off to Italy. She agreed and mentioned her own reservations about the mission and the ones selected for it but she knew that he wanted to judge the Frost agent's performance and experience her first hand before he delivered her performance report to Shepard and the others.

"Do we have visuals on everyone?" Gabriel questioned

"McCree, the lieutenant and the Frost Agent has been located," the young man began.

"And the director?"

"To be honest I can't tell quite yet. She is on the floor, but her location is pending,"

"Figures," Gabriel scoffed.

* * *

"So why are we here again?" Jesse questioned as he leaned on the bar

_[Stop asking stupid questions, McCree]_

Jesse grimace at the woman's comment, he had a visual on Lyudmila's table and the woman herself, he also managed to catch a glimpse of the blue-haired woman, the person they were working with supposedly but to him, it felt like they were just her back up.

"How about ya tell me that to my face?" Jesse replied under his breath

_[I will.]_

**[When I said radio silence I meant it.]**

Jesse scoffed at Gabriel's warning, he had yet to even catch a glimpse of the woman and she had insulted him already. Lyudmila had mentioned that there were other agents on the field but he wouldn't recognize her due to her previous socialite life. He gently sloshed around his drink as he looked to the crowd of the rich and famous again, he was all for undercover missions, but this type bored the hell out of him, he needed some type of action something to –

_"_ _Fancy meeting a cowboy out of his natural habitat,"_

In mid drink, Jesse finally realized there was a man leaning on the bar next to him.

"R-Ruben? Holy shit when did you get here? What are you doin' here?" Jesse stuttered.

"Do not make a scene. Do you not remember how this works?" Ruben casually chided Jesse at his sudden appearance. Jesse scoffed at the man's comment.

Ruben Sanders, one of Blackwatch's senior field agents in the Recon Division. It was rare to see any of those agents unless they were paired with a specific mission. The man known as Van Gogh was a former assassin for an organization called De La Lune and was accepted into Blackwatch due to the man's willingness to bring down the organization. But with the man's specific work in Blackwatch, he was normally seen and not heard.

"Well, you know…we occasionally need a holiday here and there," Ruben coolly took a drink from the tumbler of clear liquid.

"Holiday my ass, ya know damn well yer here for a job" Jesse scoffed as he took a drink of his own and took another look at the casino floor. The bar where Jesse had taken up residence had steps leading up to it, elevated a bit higher off the ground which made it easy to keep an eye on the floor and people that casually lingered before they tested their luck against the house.

It was also the perfect spot to watch for when Lyudmila began to set up her station to begin the game. He quickly thought back to the game nights where Lyudmila played a few games card games, he just didn't think that it would lead to this.

"Let us see here, a Frost agent, Lyuda and yourself. I take it there's a joint mission going on yeah?" Ruben's question pulled Jesse's attention back to the man.

"Somethin' like that," Jesse replied as he caught sight of Cerulean blue in the crowd.

"Never thought I would see the day where the cowboy cleans up so well," Ruben chuckled.

"Real cute Ruby, ya sure ya should be drinkin' on the job?" Ruben laughed a bit at the man's question and smirked.

"What are you talking about mate? I am on holiday, approved by our high and mighty Commander Reyes," Ruben replied as he gently pushed himself from the bar.

"Holiday," Jesse repeated sarcastically.

"Anyway, I will not be a bother to you...," Ruben began and nursed his drink a bit.

"You comin' back to Zurich?" Jesse sipped his deep copper colored drink, Ruben shrugged nonchalantly.

"It depends on how long my holiday decides to be,"

With a smirk Ruben slipped into the crowd of people, Jesse huffed as he downed the rest of his drink.

**[He's on holiday, don't worry about him you have a mission to worry about]**

Gabriel's voice pulled McCree from his thoughts on why the man was at this specific casino. From previous missions, he knew if the man was involved nothing good would come from this mission. Jesse sighed to himself as he casually made his way through the crowd of people and towards the table where Lyudmila had set up and began to wait for the table to fill.

**[Kaines…status update]**

_[I'm on the casino floor, I've already spotted two targets…]_

Jesse continued towards the partially empty poker table and took a few glances around to see if he could spot the woman.

**[Have you made contact with the Frost agent?]**

_[Negative.]_

Jesse took a seat the at the poker table and gave the dealer, Lyudmila a nod. He made small talk with some of the patrons as he waited for the game to begin. The table they had set up at was the last public table that led towards the VIP entrance, both Lyudmila and Jesse would have prime sight to see which VIP came and went.

_"_ _Would you like a drink, sir?"_

Jesse turned to the platinum blonde haired woman dressed in a black leather one piece that cupped and hugged her in all the right places. His gaze shifted from her body to her exotic looking brown eyes, the color seemed a bit off but the large pointed bunny ears on her head caught his attention. Jesse quickly looked the woman from head to toe and licked his lips before he spoke.

Fishnet stockings, black stiletto heels…

"Why yes I would, angel face," Jesse replied. The woman smirked as she lowered the tray in her hair for him to take a drink from the assortment she had on her tray. Jesse quickly took a drink from the tray and focused back on the woman.

**[McCree…]**

"Yer mighty fine sweetheart, what's yer name?" Jesse smirked as he gave the woman his full attention. The woman smirked again as she placed the tray on the chair behind her.

"Camilla…and yours?" she replied with a coquette smirk on her lips.

"Jesse…Camilla- baby how about after this game we—"Jesse began when she leaned forward.

"Your bolo tie is crooked…let me fix that for you," she began, Jesse's eyes flicked towards the woman's breast and quickly back to her face.

"Why thank-"

_"_ _You're so predictable, McCree,"_

It took Jesse a moment to realize what the woman had said. As the woman straightened herself, the smirk on her lips was clear.

"Have we…met before?" Jesse asked. The woman laughed as she turned to Lyudmila with a coy smile on her lips. Lyudmila nodded to the woman, Jesse watched confused as the two woman exchanged an unsaid message.

"See you later cowboy,"

Jesse watched the woman gracefully pick up the tray she carried before and then back on to the casino floor.

"Was that…who I think it was?" Jesse muttered to himself.

**[Who else?]**

"Damn…I didn't even know that was her…"

**[That's the point, focus on your mission…]**

"…How do ya handle all of that Reyes-," Jesse quipped.

**[You're extra talkative today boy, maybe you should cut back on the alcohol]**

"Bingo," Jesse chuckled and took a sip of his drink.

**[Focus, McCree]**

* * *

"You're progressing much quicker than we thought you would," Reira commented as she helped Danica walk around the rehabilitation center.

"Well after getting your ass kicked so many times in the past you adapt pretty quickly," Danica chuckled.

"Did…you have a hard past? If you don't mind me asking," Reira asked cautiously as they moved towards one of the cushioned chairs. Danica paused before she sat down, her brow knitted together in pain. Slowly she began to rub her knees in an attempt to release some of the pain that built up in her joints.

"You're feeling pain," Reira commented.

"I do but that's normal right?" Danica replied as she leaned back in the chair.

"It is but we can stop—"Reira began.

"No! I mean no….I don't want to sit around anymore…I'm not really helping anyone while here," Danica sighed.

Reira remained quiet as she watched the woman's face contort from the pain that racked her body. It had been several weeks since she had been rescued from the SASI (South African Sea Incident), since then Reira and occasionally Dr. Mikami had been assigned to her recovery.

She had watched Danica suffer through the recovery process, the peeling of her skin, the nightmares all of it. She wondered how much longer Danica would be able to continue with her head held high before she broke.

Reira knew that Dr. Mikami was there to monitor her mental condition and to see if she was capable to return back to the field for Blackwatch, both Lieutenant Dontsova and Commander Reyes had approached both her and Dr. Mikami about her recovery. They were worried about her and her recovery, she could see why the woman hid her pain but they knew it would be only a matter of time before she would-

"How about over a cup of coffee?"

"Huh?" Reira said confused

"How. About. Over. Coffee," Danica smiled.

"S-Sure!" A slight blush tinged Reira's cheeks as she helped Danica stand.

"Do you think you can make it to the cafeteria from here or should I go grab it?"

"No. I can do it," Danica replied.

"Did you want your cane—"

"No. I can do it," Danica replied firmly as she smiled at the woman. Reira searched the woman's amber eyes before she nodded.

"It's a bit away…I hope you're ready," Reira sighed at the woman's stubbornness.

"We're about to find out," Danica laughed.

* * *

"I know this may be uncomfortable for the both of you but I am sure you understand the severity of this operation and that it needs to be successful,"

Malik leaned back in his chair, brows knitted together as he half listened to the man.

Gerard Lacroix, a high ranking official in the Overwatch division. He spearheaded the operation against Talon thus he willingly placed a target on his back, all to rid the world of the Talon organization.

From the previous meetings that had them away from their space in the Blackwatch Intel office, Malik was currently in a private meeting with Gerard, and Jin, to discuss their past with Talon and the operation's needs from them.

"We are aware sir," Jin spoke first. Gerard glanced at

Malik and then to Jin.

"I assume you both have been informed by your superior officers—"

"What do you need from us?" Malik spoke up. Jin and Gerard turned their attention to the man. Malik had been silent for the majority of all of the meetings they had about future ops and for him to suddenly speak up was a surprise.

"I want to know exactly what you need from me. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible,"

"It's not that simple agent Ramos," Malik clicked his tongue in irritation and muttered something under his breath, he was impatient and knew the longer the conversation dragged on the worse it would get.

"I need your complete cooperation for these ops to be successful. I have been briefed on the missions that Blackwatch has conducted involving Talon…but as the two of you…" Gerard trailed off.

Silence fell over everyone in the room.

"You want to know about…the tests…and…about us…," Jin said cautiously.

"Correct. I want to know -,"

"No," Malik replied.

"I can't…I don't want to talk about it,"

"Agent Ramos-"

**"** **No,"**

Jin sighed softly as he turned study Malik for a moment and turned back to Gerard.

"I apologize, but may we have a few minutes alone?" Jin asked.

"Of course," Gerard replied as he stood and exited the room. Jin watched as the man exit the room and closed the door behind him. Once the coast was clear, Jin turned to Malik.

"Mali…we have to do this," Jin said.

"I am not against doing anything that would take Talon down but this…those experiments…" Malik trailed off.

"Mali…" Jin trailed off as he reached to touch the man's scarred hand. As quickly as Jin placed his hand on Malik's hand, Malik pulled his hand away.

"We…have to," Jin said quietly as he adjusted his glasses.

"I know but I don't—"

"Remember what Commander Reyes told us? He told us that something like this would happen, now is that time,"

"Jin—"

"You can't keep running from this Malik…isn't that what Mikael told you?" Jin added.

Malik hesitated at the mention of the man's name.

"I know I can't keep running…" Malik sighed.

"Then please Malik…let's do this and bring down Talon…for the others…"Jin pleaded.

"Fine,"

Jin nodded to himself if mentioned the man's name was enough to get Malik to cooperate then he would grin and bear it. He knew about their relationship together, he knew that anything that involved him the man had a hard time cooperating. Perhaps he truly was avoiding him.

* * *

The game was over and a few had managed to scamper away with extra winnings than what they had before and surprisingly Jesse was one of those people. In addition to the winnings, he had managed to befriend Blackwatch's target, Carmelo.

"Taylor, was it?"

Jesse turned around as he ran a hand through his hair to see the man on his cell phone and then proceeded to shove it into his overcoat.

"Joel is fine, what can I do for ya Mendoza?" Jesse asked with a toothy grin.

"With all of your bluffing, you played pretty well. I owe you that drink," Carmelo chuckled.

"That's quite alright ya hear. It's a game that's all," Jesse chuckled.

"I insist," Carmelo smirked. Jesse studied the man for a moment before he saw a familiar blonde haired waitress caught his attention.

**[Watch yourself, McCree]**

"Oh I hear ya alright," Jesse chuckled.

"But ya see these fine ladies walkin' around," Jesse commented as the woman approached, Carmelo also turned his attention to the woman.

"A drink?" She asked with a coy smirk.

"What do you got sugar?" Jesse smirked, Kallista smirked as well.

"I have Gin & Tonic, Bourbon, Scotch, and currently pineapple martinis. Which would you like Sir?" Kallista asked.

"Something as sweet as you sweetheart," Jesse said as he took one of the pineapple martinis.

"Flattery will get you nowhere sir," Kallista cooed.

"I can try," Jesse smirked and winked.

"I'll try one of those pineapple martinis please," Carmelo began.

"Of course," Kallista balanced the tray with one hand and used her other to give the man the martini. Carmelo took the glass and then her hand, and placed a gentle kiss on to it.

"Oh?"

"Show off," Jesse muttered under his breath.

"Have we met before?" Carmelo asked as his hazel colored eyes never left her golden honey like ones.

"I don't think so. I wouldn't forget you handsome," Kallista replied smoothly as she slipped her hand from his.

"What's your name beautiful," Carmelo asked, Kallista smirked as Jesse sighed.

"Trying to steal the girl from under my nose Mendoza?" Jesse teased.

"I mean she would clearly know whose better," Carmelo chuckled.

"Ouch! We just met and I feel burned already," Jesse laughed.

"Camilla. My name is Camilla," Kallista replied.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman…" Carmelo trailed off as he looked Kallista head to toe.

Kallista glanced at Jesse and him at her, he knew that the small device in her hand hidden by the tray was forcibly and remotely hacking into the man's phone. How much more time she needed, well…

"You've already finished your drink sir, would you like another?"

"Naw, that's quite alright gatita. This guy owes me a drink," Jesse said with a smirk and gently nudged the man next to him. He glanced at the woman to see if he could catch the woman's reaction and shook his head slightly as the smile on her face stayed the same, but her exotic brown eyes told him something different.

"Right. About that drink…Camilla I would like to talk to you after…" Carmelo began.

"No promises sir, I am working you know," Kallista smiled as the two began to walk away. Once the two were out of her sight her smile faded into a stoic glance.

"Were you able to establish a connection?" Kallista whispered.

[Yes. I am already pulling up his call records, the origin of the call, IPs you name it,]

"Good," Kallista replied as she began to survey the floor for Lyudmila to hand off the device.

_"_ _I knew it,"_

Kallista turned to the person that had caught her attention.

_"_ _The elusive director herself,"_

Kallista took a moment before she replied to the one that called her out, she knew who they were as they clearly knew who she was.

"Didn't think you'd be here Miss Director," Ruben said as he walked over to her.

"A drink sir?" Kallista replied. Ruben glanced at her for a moment and smirked.

"I see… Hmm, what do we have here…? Scotch, Bourbon… I didn't think Reyes would put you on the field," Ruben commented as they looked at their drink choices.

"I have my reasons for being here," Kallista replied.

"Do you Miss Director? " Ruben asked as they took the tumbler of scotch.

"Of course…everyone has a part to play in the grand scheme of things," Kallista said her accent heavy with each word.

"And not to satisfy a personal desire?" Ruben countered.

"That's quite an accusing comment Ruben and to whom are you directing that to?" Kallista asked nonchalantly. Ruben chuckled and shrugged.

"To whomever the shoe fits I suppose. I see many things but seeing you on the field is rare… Miss Director, "

"Do behave Ruben…you're supposed to be on holiday. Let's keep it that way, shall we?" Kallista said as she smiled, she was still on the field and needed to keep appearances.

"Of course, I just wanted a drink…Camilla was it? Thank you, take care now and good luck it seems like you've attracted quite the crowd," Ruben commented as he nodded towards the bar before they took their leave.

"Great," Kallista muttered as she flicked a piece of her blonde hair over her shoulder.

* * *

Jesse half listened to the man as they conversed about world events, women, gambling and more. He expected to be backup for the majority of the mission and didn't expect to be face to face with Blackwatch's target.

Carmelo Mendoza and the Pavetti heiress were spotted on the casino floor and could be seen from the VIP suites. The recruitment mission instantly became an Intel gathering mission.

Jesse took another sip of his drink and spotted the Frost agent again, the cerulean blue loosely curled tresses, russet brown colored eyes, she wore the identical outfit as Kallista. He could see the fake smile on her lips as she greeted the patrons but the look in her eye she was on the lookout for her target.

In the back of his mind, Jesse knew why she was being recruited but he didn't understand what Blackwatch had to do with this. This wasn't their type of mission-

**[Kaines. Your status]**

_[I've made contact with the Frost Agent…and our good friend Van Gogh]_

**[And?]**

_[Target is located on the VIP suite floor, based on the information I have her target is not Pavetti but Destalova.]_

**[She told you that?]**

_[Process of elimination, Reyes.]_

**[I don't need sass from you as well Kaines. McCree has made contact with our target...you know what to do]**

_[Understood. Also, just so you know if I break a heel you're buying me new ones these were expensive]_

* * *

"I'll buy you whatever you want…if you do your job which I hope I won't have to worry about," Gabriel replied a small smirk on his lips.

_[Of course not, just who do you think you're talking to Reyes]_

"Lo se, gatita,"

Gabriel turned his attention back to the security feeds of the casino and immediately spotted Lyudmila who had shifted into her second stage, security on the floor, near the stairs to the VIP suites.

"There's nothing out of the ordinary. We are still running smoothly,"

"And Carmelo's data?"

"Working on it. I'm working on it with Aleks working on it as we speak…I'll let you know as soon as I find something good," Elias replied.

"Good," Gabriel leaned back in his seat and glanced at the red digital numbers on the many monitors in the van.

He had 48 hours until he would be back on the field, the stronger medication that Angela had given him had taken care of most of the issues, the migraines, muscle soreness, fatigue, for the longest time he knew something was off with him and progressively got worse.

Truth be told, he was becoming a little worried, but not enough to pull himself from the field. He couldn't, he had work to do for both Blackwatch and Overwatch.

"Commander…there's an unknown video call coming in for you. Would you like to take it?"

"Patch it through," Gabriel replied as he straightened himself in his chair. Within seconds a video of a woman with ebony shoulder-length curls, fair skin, sharp hazel colored eyes stared back at Gabriel, just from the look alone, he could tell who the woman was.

"Evangeline," Gabriel said simply.

{Gabriel.}

"I am running an operation right now. What do you want?" Gabriel asked.

{Don't give me that. You know exactly why I am calling.}

Gabriel sighed quietly as he stared back at the woman.

"She's fine, the mission is running smoothly…is that what you wanted?" Gabriel replied.

{No.}

"Then what?"

{I want information from you and your team}

"Why?" Gabriel questioned, curious to know what the woman would want when she could get it just as easily as he.

"What's in it for me?" Gabriel countered.

{I didn't think you were that greedy Gabriel…I'm giving you one of my best agents and you're asking for more…how rude}

"Technically Eva…she's not for Blackwatch. I am doing Overwatch a favor and helping…don't pull that bullshit on me,"

{Don't pull your technicality bullshit when it fits you, Reyes…but I relent for now. Fine. I want info on Mendoza, you can have whatever you want.}

"I want info," Gabriel began.

{Be more specific}

"The Cheshire cat. I think that equals up to the info you want on Carmelo,"

Gabriel noticed the woman's demeanor change at the mention of the Cheshire Cat. The reaction she had told him more than enough information that he needed.

{The Cheshire cat you say? Reyes, I thought you had your team working on that situation}

"I like having my bases covered…and I'm sure that one of your girls has come across info while on the field," Gabriel replied casually

{Wipe that smug look from your face Reyes. You act as if you have me figured out, this is far different from my days in Blackwatch}

"Don't put words in my mouth, Eva. You know my information runs expensive,"

Evangeline stared blankly at Reyes before she laughed, Reyes crossed his arms as he waited for the woman's response. They both needed something, he made his offer and now the ball was in her court.

{Fine. I'll send it to your little intel director-}

"No. Send it to me directly," Gabriel corrected her. Evangeline studied him for a moment before she sighed and waved off the man's correction.

{Oh? A  lover's quarrel?}

"Far from it. I want it in my hand. Nothing more, nothing less," Gabriel replied. Gabriel watched as the woman studied him and his expression before she replied to him.

{Sure. Have it your way}

* * *

Moira walked calmly to her assigned VIP suite, the suite with Pavetti, Destalova and she assumed others were partners. She was only allowed to bring herself and nothing else to the VIP floor, she had already checked in with a Blackwatch agent who stood guard at the entrance to the floor. She had everything she needed on her body and if needed she could be resourceful.

Moira stopped in front of the door and knocked, she painstakingly went over all the details of the mission, learned the layout of the entire casino, memorized all the emergency exits, entrances, security patterns, security camera locations, all of it.

Perfection was her strength and weakness.

Each of the rooms had card and chip readers for security purposes, two-way authentication to keep those who were supposed to be in and keep those who weren't supposed to be there out. If she needed to get into a room, the keycard slotted in the front of her heeled shoe courtesy of the agent that stood guard and the stairway to the VIP suites

In seconds the door opened to a tall slender red-haired woman dressed casually in a navy blue suit.

Mireya Destlova. Her main target.

"You must be our girl for tonight?" her voice soft, low in tone.

"Yes, Miss Destlova," Moira replied with a curt smile.

"Wonderful. Come in," a small toothy smile spread across the woman's face.

"Quinn, my love, our girl has arrived,"

"Good. I was getting worried that the management was lacking here...again," a dirty blonde haired woman replied, annoyance laced in every word.

"My dear your standards are too high for a place like this," Destlova commented.

"My standards are where they should be," Quinn replied.

Moira smiled slightly as she quickly surveyed the room, a woman with bright crimson hair, obsidian-like eyes, sun-kissed skin, dressed in red. She knew who the woman was. Elena Vescovi, a media mogul in Italy and almost royalty with how much wealth the woman had been given.

Although the woman next to her, she couldn't place a finger on her but felt as if she had seen the woman. The woman wore dark-colored clothes, her hair an inky black against the pale skin and pale like eyes. The most striking feature about the woman was the scar that ran across the bridge of her nose. The two women stood out to her the most as she took in everyone in the room, mostly female except for one lone male who seemed to be antsy

Moira knew what she was getting herself in to, women that preferred the women to dance for them.

"Would you like for me to make everyone one drinks before I began?" Moira asked.

"I'll take my drink to go," the only male in the room spoke up.

"Leaving so soon Carmelo? We've barely talked," Quinn began.

"You told me all that I needed to know. And besides, I have a cute blonde waiting for me on the floor," Carmelo replied.

"Oh? Does Black know about this?" the woman smirked at the man, as she finally looked up from her cell phone.

"He encourages it,"

"Oh, wow...well that's new. Didn't know that's what you two were into," Quinn chuckled.

"What would you like sir?" Moira asked as she moved over to the small bar.

"Gin and Tonic, please. The less you know the better,"

"Our servers were 10 percent compromised but not enough to cause alarm for anything else,"

Moira listened in carefully as she made the simple drink, she was trained in this sort of thing she shouldn't be nervous but she was.

**_{Breathe Tierra...you can do this...you've done this countless times...}_ **

Moira listened to the woman console her as she handed the man his drink with a smile. Carmelo thanked her and began towards the door.

"Oh before you go, Carmelo, have you talked to Park yet?" Quinn questioned.

"I don't have a reason to. My loan and debts have been paid off," Carmelo replied.

"He should have contacted you by then. That's odd," Quinn commented as she leaned back in the plush chair.

"You forget his lovely project is making things a lot harder in South Korea at the moment," Carmelo chuckled.

"Serves him right,"

"We'll see about that Mendoza," Destlova commented bitterly as she went over to Moira at the bar.

"But nonetheless, if you're leaving please leave. It's my wife's birthday and I don't want you to ruin it. Ladies don't be shy come and order your drinks," Destlova motioned for the other women to come over.

* * *

"Where's Aleks? He's supposed to be helping Kallos," Linda commented as she looked around the near-empty Intel office.

"He got an urgent call from the team in Malaysia, I don't know the details, but he should be back soon," Magnus replied.

"Oh I see," Linda sighed as she flopped down in her desk chair.

"What's with you?" the dark-haired man glanced up from his main monitor and to the woman.

"I...I feel like things are slowly unraveling?" Linda said unsure of the words that had just come from her own mouth. Magnus arched an eyebrow at the woman and waited for her to follow up with an explanation.

"The Cheshire cat situation, the uprising in South Korea, the Talon attacks...and Commander Reyes," she began as she buried her hands into her thick hair.

"You lost with me with Reyes, what's going on with him?"

"I was going to visit Danica when I overheard Dr. Ziegler talking with Captain Amari about the healing serum in her darts. She mentioned Reyes needing something stronger and condition," Linda began.

"Woah, woah, woah...What?" Magnus questioned.

"Exactly. My intuition has been eating away at my logical thinking...and I think something is wrong with him,"

A stagnant tense pause filled the office as the man mulled over the information she had given him. A heavy sigh sounded through the office as the man slumped in his chair.

"Linda, Linda, Linda. You actually had me worried for a moment, there's no way in hell there's anything wrong with Reyes. At most he's probably just staying up late, spending some quality time with someone, and catching up on missions. That shit is normal," Magnus sighed.

"But the healing darts? The components of those are-" Linda began.

"I know that they are made of, look don't stick your nose in his business," Magnus commented.

"Oh but its ok for you to stick your nose into the Director's business even though she's closely related to him?" Linda shot back. Magnus clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Look. The man is damn near indestructible. Let's leave it like that ok?" Magnus sighed.

"Magnus you can't just sit there and ignore it," Linda huffed.

"I'm going to ignore it until he brings it up. Which would be the time he retires and that's nowhere in the future," Magnus waved off the woman's worry.

At that moment the door slid open and Aleks rushed in and also flopped down into his chair, the two glanced quietly at the man.

"So?" Magnus questioned.

"Konrad and a few other agents are in the hospital, some of them are showing signs of being poisoned..."


	23. Whims of Fate pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changes are sometimes needed to make room for the new but those changes can sometimes leave holes, holes the housed the ugly things best left unsaid or forgotten.
> 
> The Blackwatch team from Mayalsia back tat the based and poisoned by an unknown source, the recruitment mission in full swing, of course, there's always room for snags and change.

"Poisoned? by who?" Magnus questioned.

"Who knows at this point…right now they're being examined. They were at a local hospital but we had them transferred back to Zurich with the MDs that diagnosed them," Aleks exhaled.

"Did you inform the Lieutenant or the Commander?" Linda asked.

"I sent a message to the Commander since he's running their Intel for this mission…but…" the blonde trailed off.

Silence blanketed the room as the news of their comrades being poison sank in. They knew that Malaysia had been somewhat peaceful with minor disturbances, nothing large enough to cause alarm.

"Do we even know if it was deliberate?" Magnus was the first to break the silence.

"We aren't sure. The MDs that accompanied them back are filling in Dr. Ziegler and her team as they try to figure out what the hell is going on,"

"All while Commander Reyes and the Lieutenant are out," Linda sighed.

"They should be finished soon…this recruitment ops should be no longer than just a night," Magnus commented and attempted to bring up the current mission dossier for the group. He received an " **Access Denied** " message instead.

"Um?"

"All of the Commander's missions along with Lieutenant Dontsova's mission have been restricted by the Director," Aleks commented.

"When did this happen? Did we get a memo about this?" Magnus questioned as he leaned on to his desk.

Aleks hesitated, Magnus raised his eyebrows at the man's reaction. Aleks never hesitated on sharing pertinent information that they needed to be aware of but his hesitation proved that there were other factors at work.

"A few weeks ago,"

"How do you expect those who are assigned to those missions to access their dossier information? Don't you think that information is integral?" Magnus shot questions at him, he was focused on discovering the root of the issue.

"Those that are selected to provide support for the mission are granted access to that information," Aleks began.

"Can we access the Director's dossier?" Linda asked as she attempted to access Kallista's mission dossier only to find nothing.

"What?"

"As far as we know…everyone on that mission is technically not on a mission,"

"Aleks…is there something going on that we need to be aware of?" Each word that came from the man's mouth was hesitant, carefully selected. Aleks sighed and ran his hands through his thick blond hair, he scratched at the stubble that had grown due to lack of time and motivation.

"Aleks—"

"Look it's hard to say, but…probably. As right now there's nothing that we can do at the moment," Aleks finally spoke.

"That's the vaguest shit I've heard you say in a long time," Magnus scoffed.

"And this is why I didn't want to say anything," Aleks replied nonchalantly and noticed that Linda had become silent.

"You ok over there?"

"I'm fine," Linda replied as she looked at the man.

"We have to keep our mind focused on the current tasks at hand. Magnus, I'm handing over Kallos' information to you while I work out this mess with the Malay base and Konrad,"

"Right," Magnus huffed as he focused on his screen, Linda quietly followed suit and began to work on her current project with recon agents in the local area.

"Hopefully, I'll be back in 20 minutes," Aleks murmured as he looked at the two before he stood. He wanted to tell them what Kallista had told him before she left, but her suspicions were rightly placed. This was information that needed to be withheld until there was absolute proof had been found.

Aleks shook his head and exited the room.

" _Now do you believe me, Magnus?"_

* * *

_**[10 minutes has passed since the Frost agent has entered the room…]** _

Jesse glanced up from his cell phone as he heard Lyudmila's voice over their comm units.

**[Look alive people. Be on guard just in case back up is needed. Kaines I have a new plan for you, siphon as much information as you can from the casino servers. The Frost agent should be fine for a few minutes longer. McCree, you're Kaines' backup until then]**

"Oh wow, Reyes. I'm only good for backup huh?" Jesse scoffed.

_[You're definitely not the brains on this mission]_

"Ya know what—"Jesse began.

**[Focus or kiss that Italian vacation goodbye]**

"Sounds like a plan boss," Jesse was quick to change his tone at the mention of his vacation being threatened.

_[Was there anything specific you wanted?]_

**[VIP clientele, funding, payouts, etc]**

_[Understood]_

[Dontsova has already changed her position so your chance to get to the VIP floors is nil, McCree. I'm already working on a different way for you to get to the upper floors. Standby]

"Stand by he says," Jesse murmured to himself as he looked around the floor and towards the VIP stairs. Lyudmila had indeed kept her part of the plan- she made sure that the Frost agent got to the VIP suites, accessed her target location, all without issues. It was now the Frost agent's turn to complete her part of the mission.

Jesse sighed heavily as he tried to act normal, he made small talk with those willing, flirted with the hostesses on the floor, gambled his limited amount of credits away and gained some, indulged in too many drinks. Sure this was a good start to his upcoming vacation but it made him uneasy.

_Could the agent be trusted?_

_Would she complete her part of the plan?_

_Would someone catch on to her?_

_Would someone catch on to them?_

Albeit this wasn't his first undercover mission, he had learned and completed many covert missions under Blackwatch, some were less enjoyable than this however questions lingered at the back of his mind. He knew that he was a part of the finest team but knew that any mistake they made could cost them the mission, their lives.

Jesse sighed again as he looked at his cell phone when Kallos' voice abruptly pulled him from his cell phone and a plethora of messages from 'friends'

[McCree. Eyes on the director now]

"What?" Jesse said out loud as he looked around. He quickly regained his cool and spoke again.

"Is she ok?"

Jesse began to move through the crowd all while attempting to not draw attention to himself as he searched for the woman. Jesse didn't want to assume the worst about Kallista, she was kept off the field for various reasons so he assumed the worse, her cover was blown and she was recognized by someone.

[Change in plans, McCree you know how things work. We picked up the Frost agent's beacon]

"Yer kiddin' me,"

[Nope. Get a move on]

"Will she be ok though? You tell me that an' I'll get a move on," Jesse asked as he continued to look around the crowd for the woman.

[So worried about the Director…I'll be sure to let Reyes know you're still doing your duty]

Jesse heard the man snicker on the other side of his earpiece, Jesse rolled his eyes. "C'mon now,"

[She'll be fine I'm sure. You need to get to that VIP floor]

Jesse had made it almost on the other side of the casino when he casually stopped at one of the various bars that littered the casino floor when he spotted Kallista cornered by one of the more hidden casino terminals. Jesse clicked his tongue in annoyance at the man's persistence, it was Carmelo Mendoza, Blackwatch's recon target. For a moment, Jesse hesitated to follow through with his orders, he knew the man would be an issue when he fixated on Kallista the first time she had appeared. He didn't know he would be this persistent in pursuing her.

"Where is Reyes?" Jesse questioned as he continued to watch the interaction between the two.

[He's on a call with the Strike Commander and Petras]

"All of the times fer a phone call. You sure she's gonna be ok?" Jesse scoffed.

[You have a mission to complete. Worry about her later, she is a trained agent just like you are]

Jesse looked at his cell phone, he still played into his part in trying not to look suspicious. "I'm pretty sure I have more training than she do,"

[You can rub it in her face later, McCree. Get a move on]

"I'm getting', I'm getting"

Jesse made his way to the VIP suite stars and looked at the fairly large and bulky man that stoically looked down at him.

"Can I help you?"

"Well ya see there's a party my friend is hostin' and I—"Jesse began.

"If you're not there now that means you weren't invited," the man cut him short.

"I got caught up in my game. Ya know we can't just leave when the pickin' is getting' good," Jesse began as he sized up the man.

"Do you have a key card?" the man questioned him, Jesse hesitated for a moment.

[Left breast pocket, Kallista put it there earlier]

"Keycard ya say?" Jesse began to dig into his pockets in search of the keycard Kallista slipped into his breast pocket. He dipped into his overcoat and pulled out an ebony card. The large man-sized up Jesse before he stepped aside slightly and allowed him to the stairs.

"Go on up and try not to cause any trouble," the guard mumbled as Jesse walked past him.

"You got it, boss," Jesse smirked as he quickly ascended the stairs.

"I'm clear," Jesse whispered as he began down the hall of doors.

[Far right room, room 18]

"Got it," Jesse huffed as he quickly moved down the hallway in search of the room. He steeled himself for what would be behind the dark colored door before he used the ebony keycard to enter the room. He didn't know what to expect behind the door, what if the woman was being held at gunpoint, already dead?

Jesse sighed heavily and carefully swiped the ebony card and gained entry to the suite, the man was nearly toppled over by the body that nearly collided with him.

"The fuck-?"

A larger bulkier woman attempted to restrain the Frost agent and could see that the woman struggled as she subdued another woman that attempted to choke her. Jesse moved quickly to take out the assailant and to help the agent. With a bit of a struggle, the two managed to subdue the larger woman.

"Well shit," Jesse sighed heavily.

"Who are you?" Moira panted as she slicked back her hair and adjust the large bunny ear accessory she wore.

"I'm help…you ok?" Jesse asked.

"You didn't answer my question," Moira narrowed her eyes at the man, ready to attack him if she needed.

"Woah sweetheart, no need to get all in arms, I'm just here to help…sent by Blackwatch," Jesse replied as he held up his hands to show that he meant no harm to her. Jesse noticed the woman eyes as they roamed over him in search for anything that would show deception.

"We good?" Jesse questioned.

"For now,"

"Well shit, what a tough crowd. I come in here to help out and yer judgin'me," Jesse scoffed.

* * *

"Now my dear…"

"You're very persistent you know," Kallista commented disinterestedly as she tried to hide her annoyance with the man. He had caught her as she was using the terminal behind her to enter into the casino's servers, she took a gamble by hacking into the system to upload one of Blackwatch's seeker and observer programs into the servers so that she could get in and get out without being caught, but now Carmelo Mendoza had been sought her out since she encountered him on the casino floor.

"I am very persistent when it comes to something I like," Carmelo replied, his voice low, hints of a playful danger laced every word.

"Oh? If I were to say that I'm not interested? What then?" Kallista posed the question to the man and took note of the slight twitch in his eyebrow.

"C'mon don't be like that at least give me a chance and don't give that look. Have we met before or do you have a twin?" Carmelo began, blatantly ignoring Kallista's question and continued to push his luck.

"I don't-"

" _Camilla-"_

Carmelo and Kallista turned towards the voice that had called out to her, annoyed Carmelo sized up the man before he spoke.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, actually. It seems to me that you are bothering one of my employees,"

Kallista sighed softly as she recognized the man in front of her, it was Ruben, another agent, who must have seen her interaction with the man and decided to step in.

"This is my boss," Kallista spoke up.

"I'm talking to her at the moment, I'll be done in a few minutes," Carmelo replied.

"Sorry, sir. She is on the clock. You can talk to her after her shift. Camilla, come here," Ruben replied curtly as he held out his hand for the woman to take his hand. Kallista nodded as she tried to move away from the man only to have Carmelo block her with his arm.

"I said I would be done in a few minutes," the man pressed.

"Sir, please do not make me throw you out for harassment," Ruben began as he held contact with Kallista, Kallista rolled her eyes.

"It's bad for business throwing your customers out. I know the owner of this casino and if you want to keep your job I suggest you buzz off," Carmelo waved off the man and turned his attention back to Kallista.

Ruben quickly placed a hand on the man's shoulder and before he could utter a word, Carmelo threw a punch, Ruben stumbled a bit and quickly followed up with a punch of his own.

"Bloody Hell," Kallista sighed as she quickly moved out of the way of the fight

[Kaines…what the hell did you do?]

"I didn't do a damn thing," Kallista scoffed.

[Fix it before it gets worse.]

"I'm working on it," Kallista sighed exasperatedly, at this rate the mission could go south and fast.

* * *

**[The timing of everything will be critical, there's no room for hesitation]**

"I know, it's just a matter of time before the shit hits the fan," Gabriel exhaled smoke and snuffed out his cigarette on the alley wall.

**[I know. You know my hands are tied unless I have proof to show Petras….and you know how anal he is about that. You'd be up shit creek in no time be sure to communicate with Verona]**

"I'm sure she's gonna be happy to see me," Gabriel replied sarcastically.

**[She's doing her job]**

"Aren't we all? Anyway, you already know how I feel, I don't need to say anything," Gabriel huffed as he looked in the direction of the van. There was a pause on the other end of the phone, the man indeed understood why his division was becoming more and more restricted, scrutinized and was forced to 'ask' for permission and clearance.

There were signs that he and some of his team noticed that seemed to be on a crash course towards the other division, an explosion.

**[You may be right...but we can't let this bring us down, we got shit to take care of]**

"Yeah,"

**[Also...thanks for doing this mission, I heard your team is getting something out of this as well]**

"Naturally," Gabriel leaned against the alleyway wall, his mind mulled over the restrictions the Blackwatch division had been hit with.

**[I'll see you when you get back...Also…Gabe]**

"Yeah?" Gabriel knew what was coming next, he wanted to know about her, about Natalie.

**[…I want to know about Natalie when you get back and after the mission debrief]**

"You're not even hiding it anymore…but sure I can give you an update on her," Gabriel sighed and ran a hand through his hair, it had gotten long almost too long.

**[Why hide it when you already know. You're supposed to know everything, remember?]**

"Oh look at you and your smart remarks," Gabriel scoffed.

**[Thank you]**

"Yeah," Gabriel answered back and ended the call. He shoved his cell phone into his trouser pocket and made his way back to the truck, as he opened the doors and was greeted by an ear ringing alarm.

"Kallos-" Gabriel started.

"I'm working on it, everything just decided to go bad all at once," Ellias replied, his eyes darted to and fro the various screens with security feed in the casino.

"Where is the Lieutenant?" Gabriel asked as he grabbed his dress coat and quickly put it on.

"Moving towards one of the sources of the disturbances," Ellias replied.

"I'm going in," Just as quickly as Gabriel entered the truck, he was out of the truck and briskly slipped pass the distracted security and into the crowd of people that were cautiously made their exit from the casino.

* * *

"Yer ankle ok?" Jesse asked as he helped the woman stand.

"It'll be fine. It was a stupid mistake," Moira chided herself as she went over to her unconscious target. As Moira took the woman's cell phone and attached a device to it, Jesse noticed a red emergency light that had begun to blink as if something had triggered it. He quickly looked around before he moved over to the viewing window and looked down at the casino floor.

"What the fuck?" Jesse hissed at the small commotion that seemed to escalate into something bigger as it moved around the casino floor.

"Kallos-"

[You have two minutes before the Italian authorities are on the scene and on your ass]

"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?" Jesse hissed as he turned to Moira and looked her over. She was injured and based on her reaction she would hide her injury until much later.

[Jokes on missions are not my thing McCree]

"Fine. We got this," Jesse replied.

Moira pursed her lips together as she continued to siphon information from the woman's phone, and moved towards Pavetti's phone while the other continued to work. She had done this many times before and under more pressure than the Italian authorities.

This wasn't anything new.

But her sprained ankle from the sudden rush of being assaulted by one of the larger ladies and then the guard- Moira criticized herself for the mistake.

"Fuck," Moira cursed under her breath as her fingers began to hesitate.

"What's the status? Do we know what happened?" Jesse questioned and turned his attention back to the woman. Moira glanced at him then back to her mission, she had already made one mistake, she couldn't make anymore.

"I got it," Moira huffed as she took a step forward, pain shot through her ankle and caused the woman to stumble. Jesse moved quickly and caught the woman before she fell.

"Don't touch me," Moira hissed as she shoved the man away, Jesse held up his hands to show that he didn't mean to offend her.

"Hey. I'm jus' trying to help whether you like it or not peaches we're stuck together an' we gotta get a move on before we're caught," Jesse scoffed at the woman. Moira clicked her tongue in annoyance, she knew the man was right and everything would have gone smoothly if she didn't let her guard down for that split second, she would have been out of the suite and out of sight without his help.

**[Tierra…this is Reyes from Blackwatch. What's your status?]**

"I've completed my task, the commotion on the casino floor poses a problem of securing an escape route," Moira began as she shifted her weight.

**[** **I've lost connection with my agents. There's something here jamming our signal but not yours. You know the layout of the place right? You have one minute before the place is surrounded. Use that time wisely]**

Moira scoffed at the man's warning and began to limp towards the door with Jesse right behind her.

"I assume that was Reyes? I lost connection with him," Jesse began as he tried to help her, again Moira shoved the man away.

"Back off," Moira growled.

"Listen, Angel Face. I ain't tryin' to get caught again, not now, not ever. I got a real sweet vacation ridin' on this mission's success, so you let me help you on outta here and that's it," Jesse stated firmly.

"You hurt an' that's gonna slow us down. So you tell me where to go an' we'll make it outta here,"

Moira knew the man was right but her oversight was heavy on her mind, it weighed down on her consciousness.

"Fine,"

As soon as the word left from her lips, Jesse had scooped the woman up into his arms and was already headed down the hallway opposite of the commotion. Moira shifted the white wrist cuff to reveal an ebony bracelet around her slender wrist, with a simple tap a blue holographic screen appeared.

"What's that?" Jesse questioned as he suddenly darted down a darkened hallway to avoid security guards that dashed around the corner and down the hall they were just in.

"A map, what does it look like?" Moira scoffed, Jesse rolled his eyes at the woman as he cautiously stepped back into the hallway.

"Well sweetheart, I hope yer better with directions than compliment, cos we need to get a move on—"

* * *

"There was a fourth party within the casino?" Magnus questioned.

"Yeah, that's what the director told me. She's trying to see if Kallos can pinpoint the source but his chances are almost nil at this point," Linda sighed.

Linda was contacted by Kallos as soon as Kallista and the others were in a safe distance and hidden from the authorities as the chaos escalated within the casino. Kallos wanted to confirm that Jesse and the Frost agent had escaped and stayed out of sight. Kallos and their Commander had lost communication with all of the Blackwatch agents on the field. She worked together with the man to establish a connection with the Frost agent's network, reestablished communication with Jesse and confirmed they were ok.

As for the fight that had broken out between the two men, it was contained by both Gabriel, Lyudmila and other security within the casino, but the events that occurred next stunned the crew and the agents at the casino. Other fights began to break out, it was almost as if a riot had begun for no clear reason. There was something in the casino that had triggered the reaction. Both women and men were affected, guards viciously attacked anything and everything in their immediate sight, Omnic servers, dealers, other guards, etc.

It was Chaos.

Mass Chaos.

Neither the small Intel crew of the mission team had seen something unwarranted spread so quickly and viciously. Once Kallos had contacted the Intel crew, Kallista followed up with the crew and alerted them to something big on the horizon. For once she didn't have an idea of what could happen, they were in the dark.

"You think it could have been some type of neurological agent that caused the reaction?"

"Who knows but that looks to be the likely answer. There were no other indicators that point to something different," Aleks replied as he clicked through the images of those that were arrested.

"None of these people have criminal backgrounds…"

"This is a whole other investigation that doesn't include us. We have all of these recon reports coming in…and we're down two people," Magnus began. He knew that the crew needed to focus on their current work and parse the information and relay it to the appropriate agent all while dealing with the current missions of other Blackwatch agents.

_New outbreaks of riots against humans an omnics alike…_

_Talon had made an appearance again under the guise of two new companies that focused on biomedical and biogenetics._

_The Cheshire cat had made its appearance in the United States, again._

Something within the casino was the catalyst and now everything in the world moved at an accelerated pace, almost too fast they couldn't keep up.

"When is the Director returning?" Linda questioned.

"Approximately three hours from now. Is there something you need?" Aleks asked as she clicked over from the photos and back to the world map with current missions.

"Just curious…we…I want to know what I need to do," Linda replied.

"Have more faith in your judgment, Truffles. You know what to do," Magnus chuckled.

* * *

A few days had passed since the recruitment mission in Italy, the paperwork for the transfer for Moira Cruz to join Overwatch had been approved and she was slated to start within the coming weeks. She was to work mostly with Overwatch missions and part-time with Blackwatch due to Gabriel's connection with her former employer.

Gabriel had already returned from his short mission to Poland and was slated to leave in the next few days. It was just to be another observation mission on a Polish nationalist group that was steadily becoming a voice that the Polish government couldn't ignore, neither could Overwatch.

The man was seated at his desk, focused on the mission dossier, an unlit cigarette hung from his lips as he leaned back in his chair.

_Knock…knock…_

"It's open," He continued to focus on the dossier as the person walked into his office and stopped at his desk. There was a hesitant silence in the room as Gabriel looked up at the man that stood silently in front of his desk and then to the data pad he had placed on his desk.

A data pad with the digital letters that read 'Letter of Official Resignation', he took off his glasses and picked up the datapad.

"I suppose you finally figured out what you wanted to do," Gabriel commented. Mikael placed his glasses on the top of his head and rubbed his eyes before he managed to nod his head in agreement. Gabriel was thankful that the man didn't hide this from him, he had come to him several times in search of guidance, for answers on what he should do.

He always told him the same thing- that he should do what he thought was best for him and his future.

Gabriel looked over the document, it stated the formalities, the reasoning for the resignation, the date of the last day and finally the spot where Gabriel needed to sign.

"Two days, huh," Gabriel commented.

"Yeah...I didn't know what-" Mikael started, Gabriel held his hand to silence the man.

"You don't have to explain yourself. You're doing what you think is right for you and your future," Gabriel replied and gave his signature of acknowledgment, submitted his signature and handed the man back the datapad.

"T-Thank you...it's a bit difficult to completely wrap my head around this," Mikael sighed. Gabriel nodded as he watched the man nervously fidget underneath his gaze, the silence was heavy, both of the men could feel it.

"Do we need to have a going away party for you?" Gabriel asked and cleared his throat, hoping to diminish the silence in the room.

"Maybe," Mikael replied cheekily.

Gabriel looked at the man surprised, he knew that the man had told a select few that he thought about resigning and hadn't decided on his answer yet, to have a party to announce that would be—

"I'm kidding, don't give me that look," Mikael said and nonchalantly cracked his neck.

"You know I want this to be as painless as possible...if I see everyone it'll make it harder to leave," Mikael replied. Gabriel nodded in agreement and stood from his chair.

"No party and my lips are sealed,"

"Thank you...Gabe. I appreciate it," Mikael sighed heavily. Gabriel took a good look at the man, he looked tired, had bags and dark circles underneath and around his eyes, he looked a bit pale.

Over the years Gabriel watched the man grow and flourish in Blackwatch under the role the man had given him. They both knew the role wasn't perfect but Mikael took on his role with pride and assisted with missions and gear as much as he was able to. The role of Defense Specialist with the background of an archeologist, but it worked out in the end.

It was bittersweet to watch the man go.

"You're one to talk," Mikael also chuckled. Gabriel smirked as he walked over to the man and extended his hand for him to take. He could see the hesitation in Mikael's face before he took his hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Thank you for your service, Mikael. You were an important member on the team, you will be sorely missed," Gabriel began when suddenly Mikael pulled him into a hug.

"Alright, Alright you big softy," Gabriel chuckled.

"Just let me hug you damn it," Mikael hugged the man tighter, Gabriel laughed again as he patted the man on the back and returned the hug.

* * *

" _Alright, Genji this test will show us how you will fair in battle and to see if we need to make any adjustments to your tendons and sensors. Please inform us if you experience any pain and we will stop the test,"_

Seraphina looked down at the two men from the safety of the viewing glass several feet above the chamber. Her brows knitted together in frustration as she looked at the cyborg-like man that stood in front of what looked to be a Blackwatch agent. She was told that the man would not be included in war or bloodshed, she was told that she would be the first to help rebuild a man and give him back the life that was taken from him.

Not this.

"Dr, Ziegler…," the pink haired woman began.

"I know Dr. Hasibuan…this isn't the best path for him…but…" Angela trailed off.

"As Doctors, we are supposed to—"

"I am well aware as to what doctors are meant to do, and I know that you are more than well aware," The blonde said as she turned to face the woman, Seraphina could see the apprehension on the woman's face. She knew. She knew that what they were doing to this man was wrong.

"Then you already know what I am going to say. You already know my disapproval with this," Seraphina stated firmly.

"I am sure that you are well aware of his condition…just imagine if we were to leave or remove ourselves from this project…he could be subjected to something much worse than this," Angela continued.

"He already lost his past life, why would Overwatch put him back on the field? For him to possibly lose his life again?" Seraphina questioned.

"I…I don't have all the answers…and I will admit that I have attempted to remain numb to this…but…" Angela trailed off.

"Is everyone and everything just an expendable soldier to Overwatch?" Seraphina began as the anger that she had kept compartmentalized as she worked on Genji's recovery began to unravel.

She wasn't one for allowing her emotions to interfere with her work but the amount of time she had spent with the man and watched him recover from the incident that had left him in the condition he had arrived in, and now to see the man—

"Dr. Ziegler—"Seraphina began.

"I know! I know…I don't need to be accused of anything…" Angela trailed off.

"But take a moment and think Dr. Hasibuan…knowing what you know about Genji, you've been by his side since he began his recovery and his surgeries…take a moment to imagine if you did decide to leave and the next person were to care for him…."

Seraphina crossed her arms and sighed as she listened to the woman, she already knew what the woman was going to say and had gone over it a million times in her head as she cared for the man.

Angela, several other doctors and Seraphina were tasked to assist that man known as Genji Shimada back to full health by through all of the cutting edge technology that Overwatch possessed. In a way, the man was the reason she had been sought out by Overwatch. They wanted the best of the best to be on this team, she didn't know the story behind the man or why Overwatch wanted to, in a way, resurrect the man. His injuries were severe, both Angela, Seraphina and the team of doctors nearly worked around the clock to keep the man stable, to keep the man alive.

Seraphina had spent nearly all of her time with the man and when she wasn't she attempted to sleep, to assist with the injuries of the agents that came in from missions.

She knew what the woman was going to say.

Angela turned to look at the woman, her brows furrowed, her lips pursed together, Seraphina sighed heavily.

"I get it…I don't like it but I get it," the woman replied.

"I had an inkling that you may have already understood where I was going to go. I've thought about this several times…It…would be best that we stayed with him…until he's fully healed," Angela sighed as she turned back to the viewing glass.

"Let's just get this over it,"

At that moment, the doors slid open and Strike Commander Morrison followed by Ana Amari and Winston entered the room.

"Strike Commander, Captain Amari, Winston! I didn't know that we were having visitors," Angela commented.

"Me either," Winston replied nervously as he moved over to the large viewing glass.

"I wanted to see the progress on this project and if there have been any improvements," Morrison said as he walked over to Angela and Seraphina.

"I was just curious," Ana commented with a small smile.

"You are more than welcome to view," Angela smiled.

"Now that…Genji…" Seraphina began

"It that what he asked you to call him?" Morrison questioned.

"Yes. Now that Genji has complete function he has improved 75 percent and shows signs of steady improvement. His cognitive function is normal, blood pressure, normal, he has been outfitted with what you see currently to fit the needs of Commander Reyes, Overwatch, and his own personal needs," Seraphina explained as she looked at the man's medical charts on the screen next to her.

"I see. Has he been in battle yet? Not simulated," Morrison asked as he too moved over to the window.

"Not quite yet. We put him through simulators first as Winston and Agent Spiros and the Blackwatch mechanics team worked on his weapon," Winston replied.

"So then this is the first training session with his weapon," Ana commented.

"Yes. For obvious reasons," Morrison added as he glanced at Ana.

"Just thought I would ask,"

"We've put Genji through therapy sessions, both physical and mental just to cover all of our bases even if there were no discrepancies…" Angela trailed off as she turned towards the window and to the two men on the ground below.

"Start the training session,"

Angela nodded to the man, then glance to Seraphina next to her, Seraphina looked away from the woman. Angela sighed quietly as she leaned forward to the microphone.

" _Agent Van Gogh...Genji...please begin combat,"_

* * *

Kallista sighed softly as she felt the soft scratch of the man's beard against her arm, lips on her shoulder and then to her ear. A strong arm wrapped itself around her waist that anchored her to the man, the heat gently roused her from her sleep.

"Gabriel," Kallista murmured as she melted into the man's warmth, the man whispered a rumble of a 'hey' against the shell of her ear before he placed another kiss on her shoulder.

"Good Morning to you too. You're wide awake and clingy, Gabriel," Kallista murmured.

"It's the afternoon and you slept through training and your morning meeting," He placed a soft kiss to the shell of her ear.

"Oh shit…" Kallista sighed heavily.

"How are you feeling?" He questioned as he placed another kiss on to her shoulder/

"I've been…exhausted…a little weak but the medication that Angela gave me is helping…I think," Kallista sighed.

"Let me know if I can do anything for you..." Gabriel trailed off.

"You know I can help myself," Kallista chuckled softly as she reached back to caress the man's cheek. She slowly opened her eyes to a dimly lit room, her blackout curtains partially raised to allow some sunlight into the room.

"I know, but I'm also your CO and I also don't want you to collapse from exhaustion," He placed another soft kiss on her shoulder before he spoke again.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Kallista sighed heavily as she ran her hand down her face.

"So…tell me…" Gabriel began.

"Hm?"

" _How long did it take you and your friends to create the Cheshire cat?"_

The shiver that ran down Kallista's spine chilled he blood despite the warmth the man gave and the heat shared between them. The kiss that he placed on her shoulder sent another shiver through her body.

"What?" Kallista whispered.

" _You heard me…tell me everything about it and no more hiding Kallista,"_


End file.
